Construction products
Construction products must be safe, be in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, and not be harmful to health. Construction products are fit for construction purposes when they meet the essential technical requirements defined in the Land Use and Building Act, for the following properties:
- the strength and stability of structures
- fire safety
- health
- user safety
- accessibility
- noise abatement and noise conditions
- energy efficiency
Construction products refer to products intended to become a permanent part of a structure, such as concrete elements, windows, steel structures and timber. The EU's Construction Products Regulation applies to a construction product if it is covered by a harmonised product standard or if its manufacturer has applied for a European Technical Assessment (ETA) covering the product.
According to section 4 of the Act on the Type Approval of Certain Construction Products (Laki eräiden rakennustuotteiden tuotehyväksynnästä 954/2012), a construction product means a permanent construction part, structure or component, product or equipment that is a permanent part of a construction work and for which essential technical requirements have been defined in the Land Use and Building Act. Construction products also include the components needed to install these products.
CE marking is obligatory for most construction products
The performance of construction products is confirmed with the CE marking, if the product in question falls within the scope of the harmonised European product standard or its manufacturer has applied for an ETA for the product. The CE marking shows conformity of the product with the declared performance and compliance with the Harmonised European Standard (hEN) or ETA. This allows designers and consumers to easily compare construction products. This will also make the trading of products across borders easier.
Product Contact Point for Construction
The Product Contact Point for Construction provides economic operators (such as manufacturers, importers and distributors) or the competent authorities of another Member State, at their request, with information on national construction legislation. This information will enable economic operators to decide on the declarations of performance to provide for a CE marked construction product to be able to sell it on the Finnish market.
Information on national legislation on construction products and the transposition and implementation of the Construction Products Regulation (EU) 305/2011 can be obtained from the national Product Contact Point.
Voluntary national procedure for product approval
The national procedure for product approval is only available for construction products that do not fall under the scope of any European product standard or ETA.
National procedures for product approval are voluntary for manufacturers. However, the municipality's building supervision authority may require testing or document-based verification of product performance for construction purposes on a construction site, if there is reason to suspect that the product does not meet the essential technical requirements set for it and its performance for intended use has not been proven.