Adding Method to Madness: Validating Green Product Claims. Copyright Materials. Learning Objectives

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1 USDA FOREST SERVICE Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI Adding Method to Madness: Validating Green Product Claims Richard D. Bergman Research Forest Products Technologist February 6, 2013 The Wood Products Council is a Registered Provider with. Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-aia members are available upon request. This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation. Wood Solutions Fair Atlanta, GA Learning Objectives Copyright Materials This presentation is protected by US and International Copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, display and use of the presentation without written permission of the speaker is prohibited. The Wood Products Council 2013 At the end of this program, participants will be able to: 1. Describe life-cycle assessment (LCA) according to ISO 14040/14044 standards 2. Explain the increasing use of LCA in green building rating systems, codes and standards 3. Describe how LCA was incorporated into the National Green Building Standard for Understand the potential impact of environmental product declarations for wood building products

2 Outline What is the problem? What is the solution? Life-cycle assessment (LCA) Science-based method Topical uses of LCA Green building rating systems, codes, and standards Environmental product declarations (EPDs) What is the Problem? The problem is unsubstantiated claims A claim is an assertion of the truth of something, typically one that is disputed or in doubt. The seven sins of green-washing Sin of the hidden trade-off Sin of no proof Sin of worshiping false labels Etc. What is the Problem? How to counter green-washing? What is the Solution? Define the problem Green-washing is the act of incorrectly stating environmental impact information when selling a product or service Use science to counter green-washing Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a scientific method

3 LCI/LCA is a scientific method LCI (life-cycle inventory) measures all inputs and outputs from a single process such as harvesting and manufacturing or provides a cross sectional profile of all processes -- a steady state analysis LCA (life-cycle assessment) analyzes these outputs from all processes from cradle-tograve for their impact on risk to human heath such as from water or air pollution (GHGs) LCI/LCA is a scientific method ISO standards have been established Principles accepted by International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) US EPA is now emphasizing the importance of LCA Energy Independence Security Act of 2007 Classifying biofuels by GHG reduction potential Life cycle inventory and assessment of wood products and buildings measures all of the inputs and outputs for every stage of processing What can you do an LCA on? Goods, services, anything!!

4 Learn about the process Study the manufacturing process of a product or the administration of a service This may uncover hidden inputs and outputs Product: What kind of wood species are used to make the flooring and what is the process for drying the wood? Service: What is required to operate a computer (e.g. personnel, electricity, wear and tear on equipment)? What are the conversion rates and losses? How much wood does it take to make 1 floor board (and how much is lost as waste)? What type of life-cycle study do you want to do? What is the goal and scope of your study? Resource extraction (i.e. the cradle) Product production Disposal (i.e. the grave) Some combination Cradle-to-gate Gate-to-grave The full cradle-to-grave Type (attributional vs consequential) Gate-to-Gate Life-Cycle Inventory Cradle-to-Gate Life-Cycle Inventory MATERIALS ENERGY WATER Forest Management (Regeneration) Raw Material Acquisition (Harvest) Product Manufacturing Building Construction System boundary EMISSIONS EFFLUENTS SOLID WASTES OTHER RELEASES MATERIALS ENERGY WATER Forest Management (Regeneration) Raw Material Acquisition (Harvest) Product Manufacturing Building Construction System boundary EMISSIONS EFFLUENTS SOLID WASTES OTHER RELEASES Use/Maintenance Recycle/Waste Management PRODUCTS COPRODUCTS Use/Maintenance Recycle/Waste Management PRODUCTS COPRODUCTS

5 Define your measurement quantities- Life-Cycle Impact Assessment Full Cradle-to-Grave LCA What do you want to measure in the lifecycle of the product? Primary energy Greenhouse gases Water Air pollution Water pollution Money Social implications Divide your measurement quantity by your reference quantity and you have a metric! Energy per board of lumber Water use per gallon of milk GHG emissions per bottle of water Energy per cubic meter of lumber Using LCA for Sustainability Incorporating LCA into green building Scientific approach Helps avoid a narrow focus Performance vs prescriptive-based These concepts important Key components of wood product LCI/LCA Data quality Data representation Functional unit Allocation approach in any Geographical region Comparative assertion (i.e. full LCA?) Assumptions/limitations Selection of LCA modeling software

6 Method for Wood Product Selection process (data quality) Identifying region Weighted average 5% of annual regional/us production Minimum of four facilities surveyed Develop questionnaire (mill survey) Multiple pages (very detailed) Mill complete in 8 to 20 hours Confidential information Method (con.) Data collection Time-consuming Data intensive Select functional unit Examples of functional units: One object a floor board Physical quantities mass, volume, energy One time step annual production at a factory Assigning environmental outputs to products Method (con.) Assigning or allocating environmental outputs to products Allocation is assigning the environmental outputs from the process to the product in question Simple for some, complicated for many Multi-product outputs usually requires allocation Method (con.) Dealing with allocation if required System expansion Most difficult Expands time of study Partition by a physical relationship Mass, energy, volume Partition by economic cost

7 Method (con.) Functional unit is a reference unit Links life-cycle stages together Examples for wood products are cubic meter, kilograms, square meter Reference flow measures on a physical unit the outputs from a process Used in comparative analysis comparing one product to another Square meter of installed flooring lasting 50 years Method (con.) Data analysis and modeling Spreadsheet algorithm LCA modeling software (SimaPro, GaBi, etc.) Outputs emission profile per functional unit Critical review ISO standard compliance Comparative assertion between competing products Expensive process Guidelines for doing product LCAs Follow the goal and scope Know the system. Know the product data and data sources. If you must allocate, allocate objectively. Be consistent with data and allocation. State all assumptions and the reasons for the assumptions. Question everything. LCA is an interpretive process. Summary Life-cycle inventory (LCI) measures all inputs and outputs A detailed mass and energy balance for a product or process For a single stage/phase Such as harvesting and production Provides data for an LCA LCA (life-cycle assessment) analyzes outputs From all stages from cradle-to-grave Comprised of individual LCIs Examines impact on risk to human health such as from water or air pollution (GHGs)

8 Use of LCA in Green Building Certification/Standards/Codes 1. ICC700-National Green Building Standard (Residential) 2. Green Globes (Commercial) 3. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED 4. ICC Green Building Code (IgCC) 5. California Green Building Code (Cal Green) 6. ASHRAE Standard ASTM E60: Sustainability 1. ICC-700 National Green Building Standard Revised for 2012 (2 nd Edition) ANSI Approves Consensus-Based ICC NGBS (1/11/2013) LCA used in Resource Efficiency (15 points max) Building products or assemblies comparisons 15% average improvement in environmental performance Use 4 or 5 out of 6 impact categories Conduct whole building LCA only 1. ICC-700 National Green Building Standard Threshold Point Ratings for Green Buildings Green Building Categories Rating Level Points Bronze Silver Gold Emerald 1 Chapter 5 Lot Design, Preparation, and Development 2 Chapter 6 Resource Efficiency Chapter 7 Energy Efficiency Chapter 8 Water Efficiency Chapter 9 Indoor Air Quality Chapter 10 O&M, and Building Owner Education 7 Additional points from any category Total Points: ANSI/GBI Green Building Protocol for Commercial Buildings Green Globes Initiative is first green building organization to publish an ANSI- Accredited Standard for commercial green buildings Uses ATHENA EcoCalculator to measure environmental performance First version more as an educational tool Professional 3 rd party assessor has final say Revision in 2015 normal rating criteria

9 3. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED 2009 LCA in LEED 2009 New Construction projects Building products or assemblies IDc1: Innovation in Design Material Resource (MR) pilot credit LCA Credit Calculator Based somewhat on ATHENA tools Users provide feedback Closed for new registrations as of 3/1/ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEEDv4 LCA in LEEDv4 Current status - Beta Testing Ballot in summer 2013 Building Construction and Design 13 possible points Two sections Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction Building Product Disclosure And Optimization Environmental Product Declarations 3. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEEDv4 LCA in LEEDv4 Building Construction and Design 13 possible points Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction section To encourage adaptive reuse and optimize the environmental performance of products and materials. 5 possible points under Materials and Resources Point range depends on building system evaluated Option 4: LCA One of four options listed Whole building LCA (3 points) 3. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEEDv4 Option 4: Whole building LCA (3 points) Compare final design to a reference design Of comparable size, function, service life (at least 60 yrs) Orientation and operating energy performance as per energy prerequisite Same LCA tool using same ISO compliant data All listed impact categories to be reported At least 10% reduction in 3 of 6 impact measures, one must be global warming potential No more than 5% decline in any other measure

10 3. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEEDv4 LCA in LEEDv4 Building Construction and Design 13 possible points Building Product Disclosure And Optimization Environmental Product Declarations (section 2) Reward verified improved environmental life-cycle impacts 2 possible points under Materials and Resources Point range depends on building system evaluated Option 1: EPD (1 point) One of two options listed 20 permanently installed products 3. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEEDv4 Building Product Disclosure And Optimization EPDs section Criteria (20 permanently installed products) Product-specific declaration Industry-wide (generic) EPDs (half the value) Product-specific Type III EPDs USGBC-approved program products Sourced from five different manufacturers 4. ICC Green Building Code (IgCC) 5. California Green Building Code (Cal Green) Whole building LCA component LCA tool to be approved by code official Includes building operational energy LCA conducted must conform to ISO Similar to ASHRAE approach Show 20% improvement in environmental performance CalGreen 2012 contains whole building LCA Elective substitutes for prescriptive requirements Product or assembly approach optional Athena Institute named as a source for software Includes building operating energy

11 6. ASHRAE Standard 189.1, Standard for High- Performance Green Buildings Except Low- Rise Residential Buildings Whole building LCA Compare proposed building to base building Show at least a 5% improvement In two of eight impact categories Building energy can be included 75 years building service life 7. ASTM E60: Sustainability Work item 23356: Standard Practice for Development of Product Category Rules for Use in Development of Environmental Declarations for Building Products and Systems Product Category Rules (PCRs) are the framework to take a LCA to a EPD Long process (since 2008) PCR development mostly has not been a committee consensus-based process unlike ASTM Work items are not standards 7. ASTM E60: Sustainability Work item 28938: Standard practice for minimum criteria for comparing whole building LCA for use in building codes and rating systems No operating energy requirement? ASTM does not usurp the authority of the codes Impact categories set by applicable code or rating systems Global warming potential Smog potential Etc. Using LCA to improve Sustainability of Buildings 1. Identify construction materials that reduce carbon emissions/ other emissions 2. Identify wood product manufacturing improvements that reduce emissions 3. Provide science-based estimates to counter green-washing claims Work items are not standards

12 What is an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)? Environmental Product Declaration (EPDs) A summary of the environmental impacts associated with producing and using a product or service. Similar to nutritional labels Based on LCA data Can be used to compare products on an equal basis EPDs are Type III ecolabels (ISO 14025) Big Picture Environmental Product Declarations Credible and transparent environmental labeling (i.e. ISO standards and 21930) Maintain market access (exports to European Union) Example: Western Red Cedar Lumber Association LCAs and EPDs on siding In Summary Unsubstantiated product claims hurts the green movement Anecdotal evidence is not sufficient Codes/standards/rating systems can be prescriptive Performance-based scientific approach Use science to quantify environmental impacts Life-cycle assessment is science LCA shows how the product/assembly/whole building is performing EPDs similar to nutritional labels but for products EPDs are LCA-based eco-labels

13 Sources Bergman RD, Taylor A (2011) Environmental Product Declarations of Wood Products- An Application of Life Cycle Information about Forest Products. Forest Prod J 61(3): Personal communication with Wayne Trusty, President of Wayne B. Trusty and Associates Limited Personal communication with Kevin Stover, Commercial Programs Consultant of Green Building Initiative Personal communication with Julie Sinistore, Past-Graduate Research Assistant of Great Lakes Bioenergy Resource Center ASHRAE s Guide to Standard 189.1: Balancing Environmental Responsibility, Resource Efficiency & Occupant Comfort. June pp. S40-S44. TEM The seven sins of greenwashing. Environmental claims in consumer markets. Summary report: North America. Terrachoice Environmental Marketing (TEM). 22 pp. Accessed January 18, LEED Building Design and Construction (BD&C). BD&C v4 Clean document. 5 th public comment draft. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).158 pp.