Climate and environmental label

The eco-label

The LOW CARBON TIMBER® (LCT) eco-label is an international environmental label TYPE 1 and compliant with ISO 14024. It is externally monitored by TÜV and also in accordance with the IT standard PS 880 of the German Institute of Auditors.
LCT the only environmental label that records and documents the flow of goods from individual, individual products along the entire processing chain in real time.

It is developed with stakeholder participation and continues to be updated; it is externally monitored, neutral, transparent, and has a high qualitative standard that goes beyond the status quo and applicable standards, etc.

In non-German speaking countries of the EU, HOLZ VON HIER® is called LOW CARBON TIMBER®, which expresses the climate benefits. The statement, criteria and control processes are the same.

The environmental statement

Climate-friendly supply chains and products

The environmental label stands for sustainable products made of wood and other renewable raw materials that are manufactured with above-average climate friendliness and resource efficiency. The environmental label also documents the above-average short distances along the entire supply chain (“wood of short distances”).

Wood from sustainable forestry and deforestation-free supply chains

The basic raw materials that go into the certification process are 100% responsibly sourced, This ensures that the products contain 100% wood from sustainable forestry and deforestation-free supply chains.

Positive “side effects” for the environment

As products labeled with Low Carbon Timber replace other products made from e.g. wood from tropical primary forests, they contribute to the protection of global biodiversity. In addition, the demand for Low Carbon Timber provides incentives for domestic forestry to increase tree species diversity in the forest and thus supports forest owners in converting forests into species-rich mixed forests.

The criteria

Certification of products with Low Carbon Timber® requires compliance with the following criteria:

  • The transports along the entire supply chain from the forest to the customer are shorter than average and thus climate-friendly and resource-efficient.
  • The basic raw materials originate 100% from responsible raw material extraction from sustainable forestry (proof of forest management (FM) certificates according to FSC, PEFC or comparable).
  • Products that have a “Holz von Hier®” resp. “Low Carbon Timber®” certificate, do not contain wood from primary forests (virgin forests) and wood of globally endangered species according to IUCN and CITES.

The criteria were developed through a stakeholder process and on the basis of scientific research and can only be changed by decision of the HVH / LCT Stakeholder Board of Trustees.

Digital proof

Low Carbon Timber works with an innovative digital control system and proof of origin. This traces the material flow of wood products along the entire processing chain from the forest to the last processing step (cradle to gate) and beyond that from the last processor to the point of use on the construction site (gate to customer). The real material flow in the entire chain of custody with its entire mass balance is mapped, in conformity with ISO 38200.

HVH/LCT is the only environmental label that captures and quantifies actual transportation throughout the supply chain and the associated environmental impacts.

HVH/LCT is valid regardless of a specific geographic region. The transport distance in the production chain itself is recorded and not the affiliation to a regional grouping or administrative unit.

HV/LCT is a proof of origin for the product and not the company. This means that a company marketing a particular product under HVH / LCT may have other products in its range that do not contain HVH / LCT. However, these cannot be marketed under “Holz von HIer” or “Low Carbon Timber”. The decisive proof is therefore the product-related certificate (see below).

The control

The material flows and transport distances are checked via an ‘incorruptible’ electronic, cross-company merchandise management system. Quantities and transport distances are recorded, controlled and documented (see also certification process).

The system ensures that each participant can only market as much wood (products) as Low Carbon Timber® as they have purchased raw materials under Low Carbon Timber®. The control system also takes into account material losses occurring during a processing step.

The system checks the material flows and each product batch in real time and not retrospectively, e.g. at the end of the year.

The electronic control system is in turn externally monitored for functionality and correctness of the processes. The basis is a standard developed for such electronic control systems by the German Institute of Certified Public Accountants. This standard (880 IDW) is also used for the verification of similar mass balancing systems, such as in the German biogas register developed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and supported by DENA. In addition, the system is externally monitored by TÜV.

Logo and certificate

If a company uses the “Low Carbon Timber” logo in its corporate identity, this means that it is a member of the Holz von Hier (HVH) or Low Carbon Timber (LCT) network and is committed to the goals of HVH / LCT. However, it is important to note that it is not the company as a whole that is certified, but only the respective product. This need not include all products produced or traded by the company. The logo in itself is therefore not yet proof of origin for the customer. This consists only of the product-specific certificate with the unique ID number or QR code. By scanning the QR code, each recipient can check the authenticity of the certificate himself. Here you can find an example.

The environmental footprint

In addition to the origin and C-o-C chain traceability, a detailed real-time environmental footprint can also be generated via the digital conotrol system, which carries all the environmental parameter data of classic life cycle assessments.

In this way, the parameters are recorded in real time and on the real material flow for a specific product: GWP, AP, EP, ODP, POCP, PERE, PENRE, water consumption and separately for the life cycle phases A1, A2, A3 and A4 and can be provided in a separate document with the delivery if required.

Anerkennung & Listung

HVH / LCT ist als Umweltzeichen inzwischen breit anerkannt und hat bereits  Eingang in viele relevante Plattformen zu nachhaltiger Beschaffung, nachhaltigem Bauen und nachhaltigem Konsum sowie zahlreiche Leitfäden und Zertifizierungssysteme gefunden.
Hier finden Sie eine Übersicht.

Namhafte Akteure der Nachhaltigkeit unterstreichen die Bedeutung von des Klima- und Umweltlabels HVH / LCT.