The following examples show the enormous importance of the origin of raw materials, semi-finished goods and products for the protection of climate, environment and biodiversity as well as energy and resource efficiency. This applies to the raw material wood and wood products, but of course also to all other raw material groups and product groups.

The upstream chains in the manufacture of products, from the source of the raw materials through all processing steps to the last processor (cradle to gate) and to the place of use/customer (gate to customer) are decisive today for the environmental impact of a product over its entire life cycle. The transports are a mostly neglected but elementary lever for more climate and environmental protection   

Environmental labels are of central importance for sustainable procurement for the European Union. Since the variety of products is becoming more and more extensive and production chains are becoming increasingly global and confusing, environmental labels are becoming increasingly important. Their use is recommended by the EU. With an environmental label, the municipality has the guarantee that the criteria will be checked and that what it has advertised will be verifiable without having to obtain extensive evidence for each completed procurement act itself. Control is an important condition of sustainable procurement in Europe.

The following is important to know about life cycle assessments:
(1) By definition, environmental product declarations do not represent an evaluation of products, but only documentation.
(2) No environmental improvement is achieved with life cycle assessments, because they only describe a condition, like a list of contents on packaging. The advertiser would then have to classify himself whether this is a good condition or not, which is usually not possible in this way. (3) Life cycle assessments should never be used, tendered or used in building balances without reflection, otherwise you may quickly end up with a completely unreal assessment of the environmental situation that has little to do with real conditions. (4) Life cycle assessments do not primarily aim to simplify a procurement or purchase decision. (5) While more comprehensive in approach and parameters covered than many eco-labels, they have a number of limitations. Of course, it is particularly relevant that they themselves are not designed to achieve a real direct improvement in the environment, which is inherent in the system. 

At the request of the advertiser, the HVH / LCT environmental footprint can be included in the digital HVH / LCT controlling system. Therefore, the classic quantitative environmental parameters of classic life cycle assessments (GWP, AP, EP, ADO, POCP, ODP, PERE, PENRE, water) are then available for the specific delivery of a wood product. In contrast to classic life cycle assessments, which often work with standard data sets and are available as "generic life cycle assessments", the HVH / LCT environmental footprint applies to the real material flow of a specific product that was procured and delivered, including all transport in the upstream chains, and in real time.

The European Timber Trade Regulation (EUTR) with due diligence is intended to ensure that no illegally felled timber from worldwide imports reaches the European Union. The EU has thus set up a system that is unique worldwide. However, illegally logged does not mean that the wood cannot also be wood from tropical or boreal primary forests if the respective country awards logging concessions here. More about what this means exactly, how it is regulated and controlled, whether it works and why you as a procurer and municipal builder are still safer if you use timber from short distances with a HOLZ VON HIER (HVH) resp. LOW CARBON TIMBER (LCT) certificate.

The following information brochures and flyers provide an initial insight into climate and environmental issues that are relevant to sustainable procurement and the life cycle of products. CO2 comparisons make it clear at a glance what CO2 savings result from products made of wood from short distances with a HOLZ VON HIER (HVH) resp. LOW CARBON TIMBER (LCT) certificate, by comparing them to other conventional CO2 saving measures such as lighting.

The following lecture elements for the discourse in the municipal council and for municipal working groups provide data and facts on the selected topics. More information topic climate and  environmentally friendly building and procurement with timber over short distances is available in the webinars/seminars for municipalities.