In many cases, extensive documentation is required to prove that a construction product meets certain requirements. These include test and classification reports, reports on the monitoring of factory production control, safety data sheets, recipes, etc., which are usually not intended to be published in full and which, moreover, are often only understood by specialists.

Authorities responsible for the surveillance of construction products therefore often require an additional document containing a summarized technical assessment in the form of a certificate from an independent body.

Accordingly, the starting point is to determine whether a certification procedure is necessary. If so, the requirements for the construction products (standard, approval, etc.) and the areas of use (sizes, indoor/outdoor use, fire behaviour, fire resistance, etc.) are specified. This clarifies which documents must be available for the product properties.

When the construction product is expected to fulfil the requirements, an initial surveillance of the production and factory production control is carried out. Subsequently, the rights and obligations of the manufacturer/distributor and the certification body are defined in a certification agreement. The certification body then assesses on the basis of the available documents whether all requirements are met and issues a certificate if this is the case.

Certificates can be decisive for market access and thus for the success of business activities. Against this background, the certification body must ensure the greatest possible objectivity and transparency in its decisions. Therefore we guarantee:

• absolute confidentiality,
• equal treatment in principle of all companies and
• transparent procedures for dealing with complaints and appeals against certification decisions.           

It is often useful to contact the certification body at an early stage because this helps to prepare important decisions better. If, for example, a test result cannot be recognized in the certification procedure because sampling was not carried out correctly or because special conditions such as the mounting of test specimens were not observed, this can cost time and money.

The certification body issues certificates in many languages and publishes data to enable traceability of certificates (except certificates of compliance). This makes it easier for users to check if the document was actually issued by the MPA Braunschweig.

The list of certificates contains information on:

• Certificate holder (name, location)
• Basis for request
• Certificate number
• Issue date
• Expiry date

In some cases, the users require the publication of the entire certificate.

The MPA Braunschweig provides monitoring services as an independent partner for external monitoring and factory production control.

MPA Braunschweig carries out surveillance based on conformity procedures for construction products according to the "model administrative regulation on technical building regulations" (in german: Muster-Verwaltungsvorschrift Technische Baubestimmungen - MVV TB) or according to general building inspection approvals. So-called "external monitoring" includes the regular inspection of the factory production control and the products at their place of production.

The results of monitoring include independent statements on the compliance or conformity of the monitored product with a technical specification. They are frequently used for certification, in conjunction with results arising from tests and classification.

Since 2013, the MPA Braunschweig has been notified  as a product certification body and a certification body of factory production control in accordance with the EU construction products regulation (EU CPR, Regulation EU 305/2011). The MPA Braunschweig is therefore authorised to issue certificates in the harmonised area in accordance with the EU CPR.