Doka's pioneering work is bearing fruit: Criteria for calculating the product carbon footprint of formwork and scaffolding established for the first time
Doka, one of the world's
leading suppliers of formwork and scaffolding, is once again demonstrating that
it is a pioneer in sustainability by playing a key role in the development of
minimum standards for calculating Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) – a milestone
for the formwork and scaffolding industry and a further step down the road to
decarbonising the construction sector.
The product carbon
footprint (PCF) measures the total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) generated by
a product across all its relevant material life cycle phases. It is an
important tool for assessing the overall climate impact of a product and
identifying levers to reduce emissions in the value chain.
Leading
by example
"Competitiveness,
sustainability and transparency are becoming increasingly intertwined, and
valid data is key to sustainable decision-makings. Two years ago, we set new
standards in the formwork and scaffolding industry by fully calculating the
product carbon footprint of more than 7,000 Doka products. We are proud that we
have now also been able to make a significant contribution to establishing
minimum standards in the industry for the first time," says Robert Hauser,
CEO of Doka.
The
background: The Güteschutzverband Betonschalungen Europa
e.V. (GSV), an European association of manufacturers, suppliers and users of
formwork and scaffolding systems, set up a working group with the aim of
developing a standard for the transparent quantification of a GSV Product
Carbon Footprint (GSV-PCF-Standard) for the formwork and scaffolding sector.
The agreement on minimum standards, which has now been published after less
than a year, is the result of intensive cooperation. With this step, Doka and
its market partners are not only setting a new standard in the industry, but
are also helping to establish the transparency on GHG emissions as a standard
in the value chain.
"We are delighted to
have been able to contribute our many years of experience and our calculation
methodology to the GSV joint working group. This industry-wide agreement
between leading manufacturers brings us a big step closer to being able to
better compare product carbon footprints, and thus to create a level playing
field within the formwork and scaffolding industry," adds Julia Weber,
Head of Sustainability at Doka. All PCF data for Doka formwork already complies
with the GSV-PCF standard.
Focus
on customer benefits
For more than two years,
Doka has already been providing its customers with transparent data on the GHG
emissions of its products. "When it comes to sustainability, facts count,
not gut feelings," emphasises Weber. This is precisely the focus of Doka's
PCF initiative, which aims to support customers in their sustainability efforts
– from more sustainable purchasing decisions and public tenders with CO2 budgets
to calculating their own corporate carbon footprint (Scope 3 emissions).
At the same time, the PCF
is an important pillar of Doka's sustainability strategy. "We are
consistently pursuing our goal of net-zero emissions by 2040, and in the long
term we are striving for ever lower-emission product strategies. The data
obtained from the Product Carbon Footprint is already an integral part of the
innovation process at Doka," says Weber. "After all, transparent data
is the key to sustainable construction.”
Current Issue
10-2026
