Biobased Materials Certification

As the demand for sustainable construction increases, businesses and consumers want to be assured of the amount of biobased content in construction products. They demand transparency when it comes to claims regarding biobased materials.

SGS can certify the biobased content of your construction products against NEN certification scheme NCS 16785, which is based on European standard EN 16785-1.

Our certification procedure

Our certification procedure is designed to provide you with transparency and reliable results:

1. Quote and order
We provide you with a quote, and then you place your order
2. Samples
You supply us with samples of all individual raw materials as well as the end product
3. Theoretical calculation
You provide a theoretical calculation of the biobased content
4. Laboratory analysis
We send your samples to approved laboratories. Raw materials undergo a 14C analysis and an elemental analysis (oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen). For the end product, only a 14C analysis is conducted, following the test standard EN 16640
5. Calculation and reliability level
We calculate the biobased content based on the laboratory results and your theoretical calculation. This allows us to determine the reliability level
6. Certificate
You receive a certificate clearly stating the biobased content

Why choose SGS for biobased materials certification?

We are dedicated to ensuring that your construction products meet the highest standards for sustainability. As an industry pioneer, we were the first to be licensed to certify construction products based on their biobased content, according to NCS 16785.

To ensure transparency, we assess biobased content by comparing the weight of biobased carbon and elements such as oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen to the total weight of the product. This provides an accurate and transparent representation of the biobased construction materials. In comparison, some other certification schemes may relate biobased content to the total carbon content of a product. This can result in higher percentages, even if only a small amount of organic material is present.