AGEC Law and PEMD assessment: material compliance - laboratory expertise

In the construction sector, the PEMD assessment is a major regulatory step for demolition or major renovation projects, particularly on sites over 1,000 m². It makes it possible to identify the stock of products, equipment, materials and waste, and to estimate their potential for reuse, repurposing, recycling or recovery. But in practice, inventory alone is not enough.

A material identified as reusable must still demonstrate its residual performance, its actual composition, its condition and its environmental safety. Without this technical validation, the potential remains theoretical and insurance barriers remain.

In a life cycle approach, a removed material may have economic and carbon value without being immediately reusable. Aging, contamination from use, heterogeneous composition, the presence of heavy metals, additives, volatile organic compounds or process residues can compromise its reuse.

Visual or documentary inspection alone does not always make it possible to assess this risk.

Depending on the material, the building’s history and the intended use, FILAB can deploy targeted chemical and physico-chemical analysis: screening and quantification of heavy metals, analysis of volatile and semi-volatile organic substances, study of extractable and leachable compounds, identification of additives, characterization of mineral matrices, polymers, coatings or complex assemblies.

The goal is to document material compliance and assess the level of risk associated with a reuse or BTP material recovery scenario.

FILAB acts as an independent technical partner to secure decisions made after a PEMD inventory. Its approach combines needs assessment, tailor-made study design, targeted analysis, interpretation of results and support for project teams.

This methodology helps prioritize batches, objectify the feasibility of reuse and reduce the carbon footprint of the construction sector by better preserving material value.

FILAB supports project owners, environmental design offices, demolition contractors, architects and insurers in turning a PEMD inventory into an actionable technical decision. The laboratory sets up tailor-made analytical protocols to characterize materials from deconstruction, verify their material compliance, look for any contaminants, assess leachable substances and document suitability for BTP reuse.

The assessment identifies the potential, FILAB confirms the technical reality.

The involvement of a laboratory provides an evidence-based foundation for site decisions. It makes it possible to produce defensible analytical results, justify an orientation toward reuse, material recovery or disposal, and reduce uncertainty for insurers and project management stakeholders.

This approach is particularly useful for the characterization of deconstruction waste and the assessment of the compliance of heterogeneous batches.

The laboratory relies on recognized equipment and expertise: ICP-MS for trace elements and metallic contaminants, GC/MS and HS-GC/MS for volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, LC/HRMS for non-volatile substances, SEM for surface observation and characterization, FTIR for material identification, as well as custom analytical developments and method validations. This multi-technique capability makes it possible to build a relevant study plan for a reuse suitability test.

The laboratory holds COFRAC ISO 17025 accreditation for part of its analytical activities and implements rigorous protocols adapted to complex matrices and demanding industrial issues. This culture of evidence, already used in sectors with strict constraints, is an asset for documenting compliance, supporting technical files and meeting expectations for traceability, safety and insurability in BTP reuse operations.

To begin the process, the first step is to define the need: the nature of the materials, the volumes involved, the usage history, the intended destination, and the expected level of requirements. FILAB can then define a sampling and testing plan, carry out the appropriate analysis, interpret the results, and provide technical conclusions useful for decision-making. This approach helps secure reuse, guide construction materials recovery when necessary, and strengthen coordination between the project owner, environmental AMO, construction companies, and insurers.

Contact the laboratory, submit the existing assessment, define the study plan, have the materials analyzed, validate the technical feasibility of reuse.