The certification of building products has traditionally been an important field of activity, especially in the competence areas of plastics and building materials. The Certification Body established in 2011 at the State Materials Testing Institute Darmstadt takes over all activities that occur in the context of product certification and certification of factory production control. It is an independent organizational unit standing beside the competence areas.
For the technical assessments within the scope of the certification procedures, the certification body uses specialists from the different areas of competence as certification experts who, in the case of certifications in the legally regulated area according to the State Building Code (LBO), have the corresponding recognition by the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt) as heads or deputies of the inspection body for the respective product type.
For the certification of products and factory production control, the inspection body of the MPA Darmstadt works in cooperation with the certification body and is obliged to provide information to the certification body on all questions concerning the inspections.
The certification services are provided in the legally regulated as well as in the legally non-regulated area. The organization and the working methods of the certification body consider many regulations, for example, of the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt). In detail, the certification body is active in the following areas:
Legally regulated area on the basis of the recognition according to the Hessian State Building Code (LBO) for national approvals and construction products subject to certification according to the Technical Building Rules (according MVV TB).
Legally not regulated area based on certification programs (ZP) of the certification body of MPA Darmstadt.
The certification body is not under any commercial pressure. Either the size of the applicants, the number of issued certificates or even membership of an association or group are criteria for carrying out a certification activity. It is available to all clients at comparable conditions. The working method of the certification body is basically non-discriminatory.
All employees are bound to confidentiality. Furthermore, all employees are obliged to report conflicts of interest in certification procedures. In particular, the certification body and the employees involved in certification are not active in the field of consulting, service and development for this or comparable products.
Maintaining confidentiality and impartiality is one of the highest corporate objectives of MPA and IfW and is laid down in the declaration of principles of the company's quality policy. All employees are committed to the Hessian decree against corruption as well as to impartiality and operational integrity.
