DPP under construction: how to prepare for and get ahead of 2026

Starting in 2026, many products used in construction must have a Digital Product Passport (DPP).

The Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 places construction among the first sectors required to provide complete, reliable and durable data on each product.

If you manufacture, import, distribute or specify materials for construction, this change will fully impact you.

In this article, we explain to you what the DPP is, how it will be applied in the construction sector and why having a PIM tool will be key to adapting.

An industry under pressure

The construction sector consumes a large amount of resources and generates about 35% of solid waste in the European Union.

In addition, many materials still lack clear traceability as to their origin, toxicity or recyclability.

The DPP seeks to solve some of these problems by providing:

• Reliable and accessible data for all stakeholders in the sector.
• Greater transparency in the technical and environmental properties of materials.
• Easy regulatory compliance, especially with regard to sustainability and the circular economy.

What is the DPP

The Digital Product Passport is a structured set of digitally accessible data that accompanies a physical product throughout its life cycle. It includes key information about:

• Composition of the product.
• Technical and environmental performance.
• Mandatory certifications and declarations (such as CE or EPD marking).
• Intended use, maintenance and recycling instructions
• Environmental impact and carbon footprint.
• Information on traceability and origin of materials.

The DPP can be viewed using a digital identifier (such as a QR code) and will follow the product from its manufacture to its reuse, recycling or disposal.

In addition, the regulations state that this information must be kept accessible during 25 years in the European registry, which poses new challenges in long-term document management.

What products will be included

The final list will arrive in phases, but the regulations already aim at:

• Basic materials: cement, steel, glass, wood, plaster.
• Prefabricated: doors, windows, panels, facades, floors.
• Technical installations: HVAC, wiring, lighting.
• Finishes: paints, coatings, insulators.

The approach will be gradual, with the first regulatory requirements starting in 2026.

What information should a DPP contain?

Although definitive technical standards are still under development, DPPs are expected to include at least:

• Product data sheet.
• Information on environmental impact (such as carbon footprint or recycled content).
• Certifications (CE, EPD, DoP...).
• Safety statements and hazardous substances.
• Instructions for use, maintenance, and disassembly.
• Data on the possibility of reuse or recycling.

Organize your data with a PIM

The volume and complexity of the data needed for a DPP make it unfeasible to manage them manually or in scattered spreadsheets.

This is where a system of Product Information Management System (PIM) becomes essential.

A PIM allows you to centralize, structure and keep all product information up to date, providing:

• Data Unification: Integrates technical, commercial, regulatory, and environmental information in a single environment.
• Standardization: It structures data according to DPP requirements and allows it to be exported in the appropriate formats.
• Version Control and Validation: Ensures that published data is reliable and consistent.
• Agility in the face of regulatory changes: Allows you to adapt attributes and documentation without redoing manual processes.
• Integration with other platforms: Such as BIM, digital catalogs, or document management systems.

How to prepare

The best way to prepare for the DPP is to have your data in order. Some key actions include:

1. Audit current information and identify duplicates, empty fields, and inconsistent formats.
2. Digitize technical documentation and certifications in a structured way, not just as attachments.
3. Define a clear and complete attribute structure that addresses the requirements of the future DPP.
4. Adopt a PIM system If you don't have one or adapt the existing one to ensure that it can meet these needs.
5. Train the team so they know how to maintain and enrich product data continuously and in an organized way.

What we see in pilot projects with construction manufacturers

We assist manufacturers and distributors in the sector with structuring their product data. Anonymously, the problems that almost always arise are the same:

• Structural steel / profiles: the technical data sheets and variable measurements (custom-cut profiles, tolerances) reside in scattered Excel sheets, without a data model that supports dimensional variations. The DPP requires structure where today there are loose files.
• Cement and basic materials: EPDs exist, but not always in the correct format (EN 15804+A2) or linked to the product in a structured way. The environmental data is present, but it's not interoperable.
• Joinery and prefabricated elements: Declarations of Performance (DoP) and CE certificates are in PDF format without batch traceability, which breaks the link between the physical product and its compliance documentation.

The pattern: the bottleneck is never generating the QR code. It's having technical, environmental, and compliance data behind it that is worth publishing and kept up-to-date. We see this firsthand in projects like Spaldings & Central Spares (spare parts for construction and agriculture), where we structure the catalog with Perfion PIM integrated with DynamicWeb and Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Our take: who should start now?

For a construction manufacturer, the correct order is data first, identifier second. And regarding "when":

• Start in Q1 2026 if you certify via the EAD/ETA route (innovative products), if your product family is among the Commission's priority work plan items, or if your catalog has significant data debt (Excel sheets, EPDs without EN 15804+A2, DoPs without traceability). In these cases, the apparent deadline is misleading: data cleansing is the long-term task.
• You have a bit more leeway if your product relies on a harmonized standard not yet updated to HTS, but waiting for the final delegated act is the classic mistake: when it's published, the implementation period will be short, and the data debt will still be there.

In summary: the regulatory deadline might seem distant; the data deadline is not. Those who start structuring in 2026 will be well-prepared; those who wait will be late.

Beyond the regulations

The DPP is not just a legal requirement. It also represents a key tool for moving towards a circular economy in construction.

Having detailed, structured, and traceable information enables:

• Reusing materials in new projects.
• Planning selective demolitions and quality recycling.
• Reducing reliance on new raw materials.
• Quantifying the value of products beyond their initial use.

In this context, PIM ceases to be merely a management tool and becomes an enabler of new, more sustainable and efficient production models.

Which PIM to choose for construction

There is no universal "best" PIM; the fit depends on the specific case. For construction, we always evaluate four specific capabilities: management of technical data sheets complex, support for EPD / environmental data (EN 15804+A2), management of CE / DoP certificates with traceability, and support for variable dimensions (custom products, dimensional variants). Three options we use or evaluate:

• Perfion PIM: strong in industrial environments with Microsoft ERP (Dynamics NAV/BC). It's a good fit when there are complex technical data sheets, variants, and an ERP integration that needs to be the source of truth. It's the foundation of our project at Spaldings & Central Spares.
• Bluestone PIM: MACH/composable and API-first architecture. It's a good fit when product data needs to be distributed to multiple channels (web, BIM, catalogs, marketplaces) in a modern, headless stack. Novicell is a Premium Partner.
• Sales Layer: fast onboarding SaaS. It's a good fit for manufacturers who need to organize and distribute catalogs to various channels without a heavy integration project.

Beyond the regulations

The DPP does not only respond to a legal requirement. It also represents a key tool for moving towards a circular economy in construction.

Having detailed, structured and traceable information allows:

• Reuse materials in new projects.
• Plan selective demolitions and quality recycling
• Reduce dependence on new raw materials
• Quantify the value of products beyond their initial use

In this context, the PIM ceases to be just a management tool to become a facilitator of new, more sustainable and efficient production models.

It's all in the data

To comply with regulations, ensure traceability and work efficiently, companies need information structured, complete and always up to date.

The DPP will change the way construction manages product information. The sooner the data is classified and structured, the easier it will be to adapt.

A PIM system eases that order, reduces risks and frees up time for higher-value tasks.

We're here to help

Our team of PIM specialists can accompany you every step of the way.

Contact us and let's talk about how we can help your company.