System certification: Ecological and technical-natural construction (NTMB)

Human beings exert a great deal of pressure on their environment. Fragmentation of the landscape, declining biodiversity, heat island effect, flooding and shortages are some of the consequences due to our impact on the environment. We cannot avoid it completely, but we can minimise our impact. By focusing on nature-inclusive work, we use the forces of nature and also reduce our negative impact.

The NTMB care system is a management system that combines management and product requirements and should help to increase knowledge and confidence in nature-based products. It aims at systematically realising the organisation's predefined quality requirements in the field of environment-related products. With the NTMB care system, an organisation demonstrates that it wants to contribute to the improvement of the environment.

The system is for producers, suppliers and service providers of natural technical environmental building materials, abbreviated to NTMB materials.

Ecological and technical-natural building materials are materials whose purpose is to promote nature development, because vegetation can grow on or through them or because they are beneficial for fauna and flora. 

They are living materials (grasses, water and shore plants, forest goods), wood and derived products (poles and planks, sheet piling, dam walls, ridge and/or nursery wood), natural geotextiles and natural composites.

These products, based on organic matter or living materials, are often not as easy to compare as traditional materials.

Companies and institutions that wish to comply with the NTMB care system must meet or exceed a number of minimum requirements. Special attention is paid to the self-control of the producer/supplier/service provider and the principles of sustainable entrepreneurship.

In addition, the quality of products and services plays a major role. To this end, the organisation draws up a method by which it can measure and evaluate the quality of the products and services supplied. Adjustments are made where necessary.

Important in this is the adequate follow-up of complaints and the communication concerning the use of the products and services included in the system. Technical data sheets and conformity certificates are drawn up and always made available.

The requirements of the NTMB care system are included in The requirements of the NTMB care system 5.0. Click here for more information (only available in Dutch).

The certification process proceeds in the same way as all other management system standards and consists of a fixed 3-year cycle. It starts with an initial audit consisting of a phase 1 (document review) and a phase 2 (review investigation). After a successful initial audit, the company receives an NTMB certificate with the scope to which the certificate relates. The certified companies then receive an annual follow-up audit. At the end of the cycle, a recertification audit is performed and a new 3-year cycle can start.

The certification guarantees the efficient operation of the NTMB care system for the organisation.

The NTMB certificate is valid for 3 years and is available via the link certificate holders. The certificates are also registered on the COPRO administration page.

The procedure to obtain this certificate is described in the Certification Regulations 5.0 NTMB Care System. (only available in Dutch)

Click here for more information.

The NTMB certificate can lead to the following benefits for the certificate holder:

• Use of the NTMB care system logo on documents and certificates of conformity
• Improvement of products and services through innovation
• Sustainable image

In September 2020, the Flemish Departement of the Environment (DOMG) trusted the NTMB management system to COPRO. With this, COPRO pays attention to the quality of nature support techniques in infrastructure works.

As new administrator of the NTMB management system COPRO will not only continue the existing, but also expand it with other target groups, applications and products.

Contact our collegue Kim De Jonghe for more information.