Guest Article by Georg Fischer UK
With sustainability becoming more critical in modern construction projects, the environmental impact of specified pipework systems needs to be quantified so it can be incorporated into the overall whole life carbon assessment of the development.
One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to select pipework products that are supported by Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and then use the information within those EPDs correctly to help identify the most appropriate and sustainable product solution.
In this blog, we explore what EPDs are, the information they contain and how to use them effectively to ensure that products are compared on a like-for-like basis.
What is an EPD?
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardised, third-party verified document that transparently reports the environmental impact of a product across its entire life cycle.
Based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), an EPD evaluates factors such as raw material extraction, energy consumption, manufacturing processes, transportation, product use and end-of-life disposal or recycling.
Why use an EPD?
EPDs present the environmental impacts of products, such as embodied carbon, resource depletion and ozone depletion potential, in a standardised and quantifiable format. This makes it easier for specifiers to compare similar products and assess their relative environmental impacts.
EPDs are independently verified by third parties who are either suitably qualified LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) approved professionals or accredited certification bodies such as EPD International or the BRE (Building Research Establishment), giving design teams confidence that environmental claims are supported by standardised assessment methodologies rather than unverified assumptions. Having EPDs for projects that are being assessed under voluntary sustainability assessment schemes is advantageous as the methodology rewards the use of products with verified environmental data.
EPDs include information relating to end-of-life scenarios, helping project teams consider opportunities for material reuse, recycling and improved waste management strategies in support of circular economy principles.
What types of EPD are there?
EPDs can be categorised according to the type of product representation they provide. There are four main types.
- Single-company, product-specific EPD
This is a product-specific EPD produced for a single company and reports the environmental impact of one specific product manufactured by a single organisation.
- Product range, product-specific EPD
Where a manufacturer makes similar products covered by the same product category rules (PCRs) across several production facilities, a product range, product-specific EPD may instead be produced. This aggregates environmental impact data for similar products manufactured across multiple sites.
- Industry-wide or generic EPD
These are typically developed by trade associations or industry bodies and provide average environmental impact data for a particular material or product type across multiple manufacturers and brands.
- Project-specific EPD
These are tailored to an individual construction project or contract. These are often based on an existing product range or single-company EPD but adapted to reflect project-specific factors such as transport distances, installation assumptions or other site-related variables.
How is EPD information presented?
There are two different ways in which the information in an EPD can be presented.
- EPDs in static PDFs
This is the traditional way that EPD information is presented. To use this information, the specifier or engineer has to transfer the data manually into environmental software to calculate the impact of the product on the project.
- Machine-readable EPDs
These are digital files containing the EPD information structured in a way that allows them to be read by digital design tools that use APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to plug into centralised EPD databases and extract and process the EPD information automatically. For example, a machine-readable pipework system EPD can be imported into CAD and BIM software to allow quick calculation of the impact of the system on the whole life carbon of the project.
What are the five life cycle stages of an EPD?
When calculating an EPD, a product’s environmental impact is assessed across five main life cycle stages by looking at different modules defined within the standards used to generate an EPD.
- Product stage (Modules A1 – A3)
This is often referred to as ‘cradle-to-gate’ and covers the extraction and processing of raw materials, transportation to the manufacturing facility and the manufacturing process itself. This is a mandatory part of an EPD.
- Construction stage (Modules A4 – A5)
This stage considers the transportation of the finished product to site together with the impacts associated with installation, such as energy use, wastage and installation materials.
- Use stage (Modules B1 – B7)
The use stage assesses the environmental impacts associated with the product throughout its operational life, including maintenance, repair, replacement and operational performance where relevant.
- End-of-life stage (Modules C1 – C4)
This final stage covers deconstruction or demolition, transport to waste processing facilities, waste processing activities and final disposal. Products that declare information from modules A1 through to C4 are referred to as a ‘cradle-to-grave’ EPD assessment.
- Benefits and loads beyond the life cycle (Module D)
This stage accounts for the potential benefits associated with reuse, recovery or recycling once a product has reached the end of its life. It quantifies the environmental savings that can be achieved by reducing the need for new virgin materials and avoiding the impacts associated with their extraction and manufacture.
How should EPD information be used when comparing products for a project?
There are several key factors to consider when using EPD information to ensure that fair and meaningful comparisons are made between products and their environmental impacts:
- Consider all the EPD information
When using an EPD, it is important to consider all of the information provided rather than focusing on a single metric such as Global Warming Potential (GWP). EPDs contain a wide range of environmental indicators, and these should be assessed collectively to gain a balanced understanding of a product’s overall environmental impact. Looking at one figure in isolation can give an incomplete picture. Use all elements to give a rounded view of the product’s environmental impact. This is particularly pertinent as differences between products may sometimes be very small and only meaningful when viewed alongside the other impact categories.
- Compare like-for-like EPD scopes
It is also important to ensure that the EPDs being compared have the same scope. For example, some EPDs may only cover cradle-to-gate impacts, while others assess the full life cycle from cradle-to-grave. The environmental impact categories included should also be comparable. Some EPDs assess a broader range of indicators, including not only GWP and ozone depletion potential, but also optional indicators such as human toxicity.
GF’s EPDs cover 19 different environmental impact indicators, including GWP, ozone depletion potential and optional impact indicators such as human toxicity and cover cradle-to-gate with options: modules A1-A4, C1-C4 and D.
- Check the quality of the EPD data
The quality and source of the underlying data should also be reviewed. GF uses primary data for its EPDs, collected directly from its manufacturing operations, which is seen to be more reliable and accurate than secondary industry-averaged data.
- Ensure the EPD has been independently verified
Finally, specifiers should confirm that the EPD has been independently verified by a recognised third party.
GF’s EPDs are accredited to ISO 14025 and the LCA study is performed in accordance with EN 15804 and verified by EPD Hub Limited.
Why should you use GF’s EPDs?
At GF we take our environmental and sustainability obligations very seriously. We were among the first signatories to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in the industry, demonstrating a significant commitment to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.
Generating EPDs not only provides a host of environmental data to our customers, but it also helps us to identify areas to further improve the environmental impact of our products. We have full control of our supply chain, which means GF EPDs are a full and comprehensive environmental analysis of our products using first-hand data. We have 85 EPDs, produced by a global team of experts. Our EPDs are independently verified and cover over 80% of our product base, and we aim to be covering 90% of product sales by 2030.
Where can I find GF’s EPDs?
EPDs for our products can be found in our download centre.
Our EPDs include MCLP pipe, pre-insulated pipe and malleable iron fittings ranges.
If you are working on a project and would like to find out more about GF’s EPDs, please contact us and our expert team will be happy to help.  Â