EXTERNAL ENVELOPE 45
Harness the power of EPDs for sustainable specs
Dan Redfern of Marley explains why Environmental Product Declarations are an essential resource for architects seeking to specify sustainable materials.
W
ith the built environment accounting for 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions, architects play a vital role in decarbonising buildings. They are at the forefront of designing energy- effi cient and sustainable buildings. With growing demand to specify materials that meet environmental and regulatory goals, having access to transparent, verifi able data on building materials is essential. EPDs play an important role in enabling them to make informed product choices, ensuring that sustainability is embedded in the fabric of architectural design.
But what is an EPD? An EPD assesses a product’s environmental impact across its entire life cycle – from cradle to grave. Conducting a full lifecycle assessment (LCA) involves fi ve key modules: raw material extraction and processing, manufacturing, transportation, the use phase, and end-of-life considerations, such as recycling or disposal.
These assessments are independently
verifi ed under the rigorous standards of ISO 14025 and EN 15804. Measuring impact across nine key areas, including carbon footprint, resource depletion and recyclability. This transparency allows architects to compare products fairly and choose materials that align with sustainability goals.
Beyond environmental accountability, EPDs also contribute to crucial sustainable building certifi cation schemes, such as BREEAM and LEED, assisting architects in meeting sustainability targets and securing project accreditations.
Types of EPDs
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) come in different types, depending on the scope and specifi city of the data provided. • Single company, product specifi c
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EPD: Provides data for one product, made by one manufacturer; applicable if manufacturing of a product at different plants uses the same process.
• Grouped / Multiple Product EPD: Includes similar products made by the same manufacturer, if the environmental performance indicators don’t differ more than 10%.
• Project and Product Specifi c EPD: Provides data for a project or product requested by an EPD user, when the transportation calculation would differ from that in a verifi ed EPD.
• Generic / Sector / Industry Average EPD: This type of EPD is developed by an industry association and these results are based on averages from the sector which is defi ned in the EPD.
The fi nal EPD is issued by an independent programme operator, who follows a set of product category rules (PCRs) ensuring the products under review are assessed in a
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This transparency allows architects to compare products fairly and choose materials that align with sustainability goals
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