Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for Panels and Profiles Markus Kuhnhenne Porto, 16.09.2010
Why do we have to develop EPDs for panels and profiles? Sustainable planning, construction and operation of the built environment Environment Sustainable Construction Economic Social Saving resources during construction and operation 2
Why do we have to develop EPDs for panels and profiles? The building sector (worldwide) is responsible for 17% 25% 33% 30-40% 40-50% of fresh water consumption of timber use of CO 2 emissions of energy use of raw material consumption Source: UNEP Information Note (2006), DGNB 3
Why do we have to develop EPDs of panels and profiles? 1. Environmental data is needed to assess sustainability of construction works - Materials - Semi-finished products - Construction components - Structures 2. European Standards Mandate M350 Sustainability of Construction Works 3. New European Construction Product Regulation (CPR) 4. Sustainability building assessment and certification schemes worldwide 4
What are EPDs? Environmental labeling according to ISO 14020 Type I: Environmental label (ISO 14024) Type II: Environmental self-declaration (ISO 14021) Type III: Environmental Product Declaration (ISO 14025) 5
What are EPDs? Type I: Environmental label (ISO 14024) Based on a singular criterion e.g. energy efficiency Valid for one type of product e.g. refrigerator together with independent experts Type II: Environmental self-declaration (ISO 14021)) Criteria are free selectable and determined by the companies Suitable for use in marketing of individual products Type III: Environmental Product Declaration (ISO 14025) Including general information on products, life cycle assessment and additional environmental information Created on the basis of criteria which were developed with the involvement of independent third bodies Independent verification Suitable for products that are used together with others in systems 6
EPD - Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Source: PE International 7
EPD content Example Germany Description of life cycle of the building product Characterisation of the building product Basic materials Description of production process Installation Use phase End of life Life cycle assessment Documentation of system boundaries and databasis Results of LCA (indicators) Based on independently verified manufacturer information 8
EPD content Example Germany Procedure and fundamentals are established in the Product Category Rules (PCR) Example: PCR and EPD for Titanium Zinc 1. PCR Building Metals 2. EPD Titanium Zinc 9
EPD development Example Germany Decision to develop an EPD (Prerequisite for German EPDs is membership in IBU) Institute Construction and Environment e.v. (IBU) Product specific requirements Product Category Rules (PCR) - available Yes No IBU organizes product group forum (participate: producers, public, verification board) Development of Product Category Rules (PCR) LCA and Declaration Verification through independent third party 10
Different types of EPDs Product A Product B Each producer can generate its own EPD 11
Different types of EPDs Product A Product B Associations can set up a generic EPD Product C Product D Product E Afterwards it provides the possibility for single producers to generate their specific EPD based on this generic EPD with much lower cost 12
Different types of EPDs Product A Product B Product C Product D Product E Each SME has the possibility to set up its own EPD, but often the financial effort is too high 13
Different types of EPDs Product A Product B Product C Product D Product E Associations of small and middle sized companies can also generate a generic EPD Afterwards there is the possibility for single producer to generate its specific EPD based on this generic EPD with much lower cost 14
Different types of EPDs Product A Product B Product C Product D Product E It is possible for SMEs to join forces with partners like product processors to develop an EPD in order to share benefits and costs Processor a Processor b Processor c 15
EPDs in European Member States United Kingdom, France, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, 16
ECO a European Umbrella for EPD systems European Construction product Organisation (ECO) Association of EPD program holders Open for membership of European industry associations Declaration of EPDs representative for Europe Based on pren 15804 17
Standardisation CEN TC 350 European Standards Mandate M350 Sustainability of Construction Works Development of horizontally standardized methods for the assessment of integrated environmental performance of buildings in European standards EPDs have to be generated for the same content and the same result for provision everywhere in Europe The whole life cycle of a building product (manufacturing to disposal / recycling) is considered in more detail Evaluation is only possible in the context of the application of construction products in the building 18
Standardisation CEN TC 350 User and Regulatory Requirements Concept level Environmental Performance Integrated Building Performance Social Performance Economic Performance Technical Performance Functional Performance Framework level EN 15643 Sustainability Assessment of Buildings - Framework Building level Product level EN 15978 Assessment of Environmental Performance EN 15804 Environmental Product Declarations Environmental data needed Development of EPDs as one main part of sustainability assessment 19
Legal Basis Today: Construction Product Directive (CPD) Regulates the placing on the market of construction products on European level Addresses 6 Essential Requirements Requirements should be presented on harmonized European standards (hen) or European technical approval (ETA) Future: Construction Product Regulation (CPR) CPR replaces the CPD Define Basic Requirements for building products Requires disclosure of environmental parameters Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) supply these requirements 20
New European Construction Product Regulation (CPR) New BWR 7 Sustainable use of natural resources EPDs Today Construction Product Directive (CPD) Council Directive 89/106EC Member States implement the intent of the directive and can interpret how its implemented Essential Safety Requirements (ESR): ESR 1 Mechanical Resistance & Stability ESR 2 Safety in case of Fire ESR 3 Hygiene, Health & Environment ESR 4 Safety in Use ESR 5 Protection against Noise ESR 6 Energy Economy & Heat Retention Future Construction Product Regulation (CPR) Number to be confirmed Member States implement the text of the Regulation with no leeway for interpretation Basic Works Requirements (BWR): BWR 1 Mechnical Resistance & Stability BWR 2 Safety in case of Fire BWR 3 Hygiene, Health & Environment BWR 4 Safety in Use BWR 5 Protection against Noise BWR 6 Energy Economy & Heat Retention BWR 7 Sustainable use of natural resources extended new 21
Sustainability building assessment Certification systems worldwide DGNB LEED CA BREEAM LEED HQE MINERGIE-ECO CASBEE SICES LEED VAE EEWH LEED IN LEED BR Green Star Source: DGNB Green Star NZ 22
Sustainable building assessment Consideration of the entire lifecycle of a building Production Extraction of raw materials Re-use / Recycling End of life Dismantling Use phase Construction phase 23
Sustainable building assessment DGNB approach Objective Protection of natural environment Protection of natural resources Reduction of life-cycle costs Preservation of ecological values Covering health and thermal comfort People-friendly surroundings/ Receipt of social and cultural values Assessment Ecological Economical Socio-cultural & Quality Quality functional Quality 22,5 % 22,5 % 22,5 % Technical Quality Process Quality 22,5 % 10,0 % Site Quality 24
Sustainable building assessment DGNB approach (about 50 criteria) Ecological quality Economical quality Social & functional quality Technical quality Process quality Site quality Energy Water Materials Waste Life cycle costs Efficiency of space Flexibility of use Thermal Comfort Air quality Acoustics Design Fire & sound protection Flexibility of building services Durability Energetic quality of building envelopes Planning Construction Management Energy monitoring Material declaration Infrastructure Micro-quality Macro-quality Risks Image Expandability 25
EPD within the DGNB-system Process Quality Ecological Quality 7 criteria with direct interaction with EPDs Technical Quality Economical Quality 10 criteria with indirect interaction with EPDs or rather with possibilities for producers to declare in EPD Socio-cultural and Functional Quality 26
Data source for building assessment Example ESUCO ESUCO = European Sustainable Construction Database EU DE EU EU EU EU EU DE DE DE DE DE Hierarchy of data EU reference data Country specific data Specific data of supplier Other country Other country Other country Other country Other country Other country Materials Construction Heating Electricity End of Life Recycling 27
Data source for building assessment Need for country specific data Production Materials Technology Energy Environment The production of construction materials differs from country to country In different countries different materials are used for building construction The technology of material production differs from country to country The regional demand on heating and cooling cannot be compared The country specific electricity and the fuels have different environmental impacts 28
Data source for building assessment Example Germany Using EPDs (if available) Using Ökobau.dat Database for construction products Includes more than 700 LCA datasets, specific (EPD) and generic Published by German government Current situation (Sept. 2010) No EPDs for panels and profiles available No data in Ökobau.dat for panels and profiles Data have to be taken from existing data sets for e.g. metal sheets, mineral wool, etc. 29
EPDs for Panels and Profiles National and European Action Environmental Data European Data (e.g. ESUCO) Member State Data (e.g. Ökobau.dat) European Association Data (e.g. ECO EPDs for different producers) National Association Data (e.g. IBU EPDs for different producers) European EPD of one producer Trapezoidal Sheet Panels and Profiles Sandwich Panel Build-Up- System data to be developed... National EPD of one producer 30
EPDs for panels and profiles Example Example UK 31
EPDs for panels and profiles Added value Internal benefits Higher transparency in manufacturing regarding energy and resource efficiency Identification of optimisation potentials from dominance analysis Environmental impact of own product compared to competitors Impact of product on whole building performance External benefits Marketing to End Users Advantage in direct competition Verified data source for building assessment Global benefits EPD as answer on new Construction Product Regulation (CPR) Facing upcoming standards and requirements 32