The Eco Repair Score® was launched at the beginning of this year: a tool created by expertise agency Vonck and independent research institution VITO, with which a sustainability score (from A to E) is given to vehicle repairs, and the environmental impact is also measurably expressed. AXA Belgium is the first insurance company to now apply the calculation tool on a large scale.
Every year, around 1 million vehicles are repaired in Belgium due to bodywork or heavy damage. Parts are often replaced for convenience rather than repaired, and the environmental impact also varies significantly depending on the repair method. Can it be done differently? The answer lies in the Eco Repair Score®, which can give each repair method a scientifically sound sustainability evaluation.
The Eco Repair Score® is an accessible calculation tool that assigns a sustainability score (from A to E) to vehicle repairs and also expresses the environmental impact measurably. In other words, it is a measure of the environmental friendliness with which collision damage to a vehicle can be repaired. The tool can be used by consumers, repairers, insurers, governments and policymakers.
Belgian innovation with European ambitions
The Eco Repair Score® was developed by expertise agency Vonck and the independent research institution VITO in collaboration with others. AXA Belgium. As the largest car insurer in Belgium, AXA wants to support the development of the Eco Repair Score® and have recognized repairers use it in its approximately 100,000 claim files per year. AXA Belgium wants to reduce emissions linked to its vehicle repairs by 25% by 2026. This is equivalent to 5,000 tons of CO2, or the annual emissions of 1,500 cars with a classic combustion engine.
Audrey Amiot, Chief Operating Officer at AXA Belgium:
“As the market leader in car insurance, we register more than 100,000 vehicle repairs every year. AXA has been wanting to make repairs more sustainable for years, so we are more than excited to offer the Eco Repair Score® as a solution to encourage the most sustainable repairs where possible. Thanks to the Eco Repair Score, we now offer our customers and partners the opportunity to accurately calculate the ecological footprint of their vehicle repairs, so that they can make a conscious choice.”
There is no such calculation tool anywhere in the world. By 2027, the Eco Repair Score® aims to become the Eco Repair Index or the standard for all of Europe. Not only for the environmental impact of repairing bodywork damage, but also for vehicle maintenance.
Dirk Laenen, chairman of Febelcar, the Belgian federation of bodywork repairers:
“The environment is an important pillar for our members that has been strongly focused on for years. On the one hand, through investments in environmentally friendly equipment such as solar panels, water recovery or spray booths, and on the other hand, by offering training and further training. for employees in new repair techniques, such as smart and spot repair. While current initiatives focus solely on production (e.g. Circular Cars Initiative of the World Economic Forum), recycling (e.g. Febelauto) and emissions during use (Ecoscore from VITO), the Eco Repair Score® meets the need to measurably reduce the environmental impact of vehicle repairs based on as many impact criteria as possible. Naturally, it remains extremely important to us that repairs are always reimbursed correctly and that the guidelines of the manufacturers are followed. are followed for safe repairs.”
How does the Eco Repair Score® work?
The Eco Repair Score® is based on a generally accepted and scientifically based assessment methodology, which uses a reliable and verified database. The score is determined by a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the repair of vehicle damage caused by a collision. In addition, the score is also calculated on the basis of a calculation model, containing data on repairs (of 40 parts that are most often damaged in a collision), and the processing of 18 environmental impact categories (including CO² emissions). The calculation model takes the following important factors into account:
- the chosen repair method (replace or repair, or both)
- the manufacture of new parts, products and their packaging
- the transport of parts and products to the repairer (ecological footprint)
- the spraying of parts
- the recycling of parts, products and their packaging after repair
- the energy consumption of the repair workshop
About Expertisebureau VONCK
Expertise agency Vonck from Beveren is active in the expertise of vehicles and equipment with damage assessment, valuation, thorough technical research, reconstruction of traffic accidents and fraud investigation. Since its founding in 1993, Expertisebureau Vonck has grown into one of the most important players on the Belgian market.
Visit vonck-expertise.com
About VITO
VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) is a Flemish independent research institution in the field of cleantech and sustainable development, with the aim of accelerating the transition to a sustainable world. VITO provides scientific advice to governments and companies on, among other things, the implementation of circular strategies.
Visit vito.be
