Since January 8, 2026, the new EU Construction Products Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 is in effect. One of the most far-reaching innovations: the Digital Product Passport (DPP) for construction products. Over the coming years, it will become mandatory in phases — starting with priority products like concrete, steel, insulation, and windows. For companies working with tenders, this has direct consequences.
What Is the Digital Product Passport?
The Digital Product Passport is a standardized dataset containing all relevant information about a construction product — from technical performance characteristics to environmental data to raw material origins. It's provided in a machine-readable format and linked to the physical product via a unique identifier (QR code or RFID). The goal is transparency across the entire lifecycle: manufacturing, installation, use, demolition, recycling.
Timeline and Affected Product Groups
The DPP won't become mandatory overnight. The EU has planned a phased rollout. The first product groups affected are concrete and precast concrete products, steel and steel products, insulation materials, and windows and doors. Further product groups follow in 2027-2029. The exact requirements per product group will be specified through EU delegated acts — some of which are still pending.
Impact on Bills of Quantities
The DPP has two concrete impacts on tender practice. First: Material specifications in bills of quantities will become more detailed. Clients can — and will — include requirements for sustainability metrics, recycled content, or CO2 footprint of construction products in their tenders. Second: The burden of proof is changing. Bidders must be able to demonstrate that the offered products meet the required DPP criteria. Companies that can't provide this information risk exclusion.
Sustainable Procurement: The Underlying Trend
The DPP is part of a larger trend: sustainable public procurement. 2026 is seen as a turning point for green procurement criteria in Germany. An increasing number of public clients are integrating environmental criteria into their tenders — from circular economy principles to CO2 reduction targets to lifecycle cost requirements. For bidders, this means: Sustainability is shifting from nice-to-have to award criterion.
What Construction Companies Should Do Now
Even though the DPP won't be mandatory for many product groups until 2027/2028, preparation now pays off. Check your supply chain: Can your suppliers provide DPP-compliant product data? Start asking. Monitor tenders: Watch for sustainability criteria in current tenders — the trend is already measurable. Build data management: Capturing and providing structured product data will become a competitive advantage. Companies that can immediately deliver the required sustainability documentation when tendering have an edge.
Conclusion
The Digital Product Passport will change how construction products are specified, tendered, and documented. For construction companies and building product manufacturers, now is the right time to prepare — before the requirements appear in tender documents.