The Rest of the Story: Assessing and Specifying Environmental Product Declarations

The Rest of the Story Assessing and Specifying

Environmental Product Declarations

Presented by:

Paul Bertram FCSI, CDT, LEED AP

Kingspan: Director, Environment & Sustainability CSI Institute President

[email protected]

Who is Kingspan?

Kingspan Insulated Panels Ltd. is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects

Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to CES

Records for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA members are available upon request.

This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional registration. 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 or 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 should be directed to

the program instructor.

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.

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.

Learning Objectives

1. Learn how market influences such as LEED and other environmental and sustainability focused programs are driving the need for information on environmental impacts of a product over its life cycle.

2. Summarize material environmental characteristics of a product in a way that is accessible, consistent, and ultimately comparable through Environmental Product Declarations.

3. Realize the inter-relationship of Product Category Rules, Lifecycle Assessment and Environmental Product Declarations for transparency in environmental reporting.

4. Explain what is not in an EPD and describe what proposed information a HPD (Health Product Declaration) includes. Learn how to evaluate and specify environmental performance requirements and EPDs in projects and where to find them.

Sustainable Design

• Sustainability is the concept of meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

– Includes the informed selection of materials and products to reduce product-cycle environmental impacts, improve performance, and optimize occupant health and comfort.

– Seeks to enhance and increase ecological, social, and economic values over time.

Source: AIA

John Fernadez at MIT is exploring several possibilities

Sustainable Design is here to stay!

AIA E60 - Sustainability

189.1

Green Codes Federal Green

Guidelines

Differences between Labeled Products and a Certified EPDs?

Graphic Source: Buildinggreen - Green Building Product Certifications

• Greenwash • All products claim to be “green” • FTC = Federal Trade Commission

o Green Guidelines • Unproven Claims • Single attributes • Multi-attributes • ISO Levels of Certification

Certification Classifications

• ISO 14021 - Self Declared Environmental Claims, 1999 (Type II labels / declarations) - single-attribute label developed by the producer;

• ISO 14024 - Type I Environmental Labelling – multi-attribute label developed

by a third party;

• ISO 14025 - Environmental labels and declarations - Type III environmental

declarations - eco-label whose awarding is based on a full life-cycle assessment – (EPD) developed by a third party

Proposed LCA LEED 2012 (V4) Credits Pilot Credit 61

MR CREDIT: MATERIAL LIFE CYCLE DISCLOSURE AND ASSESSMENT

OPTION 1. Assessment of Non-structural Products (1 point) • Requirements

– Use a minimum of 20%, by cost

– Industry Wide (Generic) EPD Third party certified Type III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), including external verification - calculated at cost

– Product Specific Declaration Products with a publically available, critically reviewed Life Cycle Assessment compliant with ISO 21930 - calculated at twice their cost

OPTION 2. Assessment of Structure and Enclosure – Same requirements as option 1.

OPTION 3. Multi-Attribute Assessment – Use a minimum of 50%, by cost

– Permanently installed non-structural products meeting at least one of the attributes below. Products may contribute toward multiple attributes listed

The scope of any Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is required to be at least cradle to gate.

Other LEED Pilot Credits that related to LCA/EPD reporting

• Pilot Credit 52: MR – Material Multi-Attribute Assessment

• Pilot Credit 53: Responsible Sourcing of Raw Materials – Chain of Custody on raw materials

• Pilot Credit 54: Avoidance of Chemicals of Concern – • Pilot Credit 61: Material Disclosure and Assessment -

EPD • Pilot Credit 62: Disclosure of Chemicals of Concern - • Pilot Credit 63: MR – Whole Building Life Cycle

Assessment –EPDs may contribute to this credit- TBD •

Why LCA?

• Market confusion: What is a Green Building Product? – Too many EcoLabels

• How many EcoLabels does it take to make a “green” product?

• Current focus on single attribute environmental product reporting – Various Green Building and labeling programs

• Industry needs creditable environmental reporting • Need for established multi-attribute & process

assessment with “use-phase” & benefits • Need for Scientific, 3rd Party Verified, Defendable

methodology for environmental reporting • Green Building Codes and NGO’s influence

Challenges of LCA • Learning curve and research

– Understanding LCA practioners, LCA tools and standards

• Lack of established US based PCRs (Product Category Rules) – Necessary for comparative LCAs and EPDs (Environmental

Product Declarations) – Need for established US “Program Operator” network

• Emerging market

– Need for US based PCR/EPD registry

• Lack of building teams understanding LCA reporting and related data uncertainties

• Balancing environmental LCA reporting with functional performance and compliance product evaluation

LCA as Comparable Analysis

• Figure 6 - Fossil Energy results

Fossil Energy

Standing seam metal roofing w/cavity insulation

8" Concrete Block Tilt Up EIFS

Single Skin with fiberglass insulation

Insulated Metal Panel

San Francisco 137.09 232.73 107.47 322.51 160.71 44.08

COMPARISON RESULTS The LCA results from KS IMPs and the alternative assemblies are shown for each of the impact categories calculated by Athena’s EcoCalculator.

ISO Compliant LCA

• The LCA evaluates the Cradle-to-Grave environmental impacts

• Two of the locations manufacture CPL panels and their LCA results have been combined into a production weighted average.

• Use phase impacts are calculated relative to different building scenarios which have been installed with IMPs.

• The panels are ultimately disposed at End-of-Life (EoL) via landfill.

LCA Goal & Scope

Product System Boundaries

• Figure 1– Metal Insulated Panel System Boundary

Ingredients:

Metal Foam

Packaging Etc.

Extraction & Processing of Raw Materials

IMP Manufacture

Panel Installation

Panel Use Panel End

of Life

Emissions to air, water, and soil (waste)

Energy, fuels, water

What is an EPD - Environmental Product Declaration? What is an EPD?

Types of EPDs

• Product

Cradle to Grave

• Industry

Series of Gate to Gates + Specific Product aggregated Cradle to Gate

Industry

Gate

to Gate

Industry

Gate to Gate

Industry

Gate to Gate

End Product

Processes

Cradle

to Gate

LCA

Product PCR

Product EPD

ISO 21930 – Product Category Rules

Sustainability in building construction — Environmental declaration of building products

• ISO 21930:2007 provides a framework for and the basic requirements for product category rules

• Type III environmental declarations for building products, as described in ISO 21930:2007

• Complements ISO 14025 for EPDs of building products.

What is a PCR – Product Category Rule?

Source Graphic: UL Environment

Registering EPDs

Source Graphic: UL Environment

EPD Certification 1st page

– Program Operators Certification of the EPD according to ISO -14025

www.pathtonetzero.com/tools/

UL EPD Transparency Briefs

LCA Multiple and single component systems LCAs/EPDs

› Single Component System › Multi Component System

Insulated metal panels LCA as a single component system includes all key elements of the assembly

vs.

Athena EcoCalculator

• ASTM WK28938 – Work Item: ASTM WK28938 - New Guide for Whole Building LCA LEED

• Pilot Credit Library Pilot Credit 63: MR – Whole Life Cycle Assessment

Where to find EPDs and PCRs

• http://www.environdec.com/en/EPD-Search/

• http://www.lcacenter.org/product-category-rule-development.aspx

• http://www.life-cycle.org/?page_id=23

• http://www.thegreenstandard.org/epd_systems.html

• http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/businesses/environment/index.jsp

• http://pcr-library.edf.org.tw/index.asp

• http://www.ecolabelindex.com/ecolabel/aub-zertifikat

Why EPDs and LCA are import to your project?

• LCA is most transparent reporting of material environmental impacts

• Additional environmental material selection considerations – Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) in architecture is

anything that relates to the structural integrity or soundness of a building or building site. (AIA)

• LEED Credits

• IGCC & ASHRAE 189.1 compliance

Specifying EPDs

Pilot credit 61

EPDs – other specified information

Specifying Environmental Performance Requirements

• Category Summary 1. Background Information

2. Product Details

3. Product Lifecycle

4. Additional Information

5. Authorization

CSI’s

The Construction Specifications Institute www.csinet.org

www. .com

Does LEED really foster product

innovation and real material

assessment?

• CSI provides guidelines for comprehensive review based

on specific project requirements

Functional Performance

Compliance

Risk Assessment

Environmental

Advantage Available information for specifiers Catalog and sample maintenance program Characteristics and uses Code compliance/standards conformance Comparison with competitive products Delivery time Design rationale Environmental/Energy concerns Expected useful life How product is manufactured and

raw materials contained Initial Costs Installation methods and installer

requirements Interface with other products Limitations

List of projects, owners, dates and performance to date

Location, displays or samples Long-term costs Rated capacity Test or examinations (substantiated data)

What is NOT included in LCAs/EPDs

ISSUES are Risk & Exposure

What is an HPD – Health Product Declaration?

Creating a common submittal form for communicating information about product content and chemical hazards in building products

Coming soon

Proposed LCA LEED 2012 Credit

• MR CREDIT: MATERIAL INGREDIENT REPORTING Option 1. Manufacturer Declared Disclosure – Manufacturer’s Declared Disclosure – Use building products and materials with manufacturer-provided disclosure of chemical

compounds that at a minimum identifies any content meeting the criteria of the Clean Production Action’s Green Screen v1.2 Benchmark 1, Avoid Chemicals of High Concern. The disclosure statement must include homogeneous materials that make up at least 99% of the material by weight. Value compliant items at half their cost.

– Third Party–Certified Disclosure – Use building products and materials that both meet the disclosure requirements in Option 1

and receive third party–certification of the disclosure. Value compliant items at cost. – For product formulators – Disclose the presence of chemicals that are intentionally added, plus known residuals, in

concentrations of 0.01% or greater, by mass (100 parts per million) within each of the homogeneous materials. Disclosure can be either (1) listing by Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) number or (2) hazard communication based on the Green Screen v1.2 Benchmark 1, Avoid Chemicals of High Concern as of May 1, 2012.

– 103

What is accomplished with this credit ?

Transparent scoring protocols for environmental and health impacts of building products

• Learn what's inside each product thanks to manufacturer participation and disclosure and independent research by the Pharos team.

• See how products score on VOCs, Toxic Content, Manufacturing Toxics, Renewable Materials, Renewable Energy and Reflectance.

• Evaluate and compare alternatives according to your needs or preferences. • See health hazards of material contents without leaving the product profile.

http://www.pharosproject.net/

FEE Based

Are Design Professionals qualified to make product selections based on toxicities?

What are the potential liabilities?

Whole Building LCA LEED 2012 Pilot Credit 63: MR – Whole Building Life Cycle

Assessment

MR CREDIT: BUILDING REUSE AND WHOLE BUILDING LIFE CYCLE ASSESMENT

• Demonstrate reduced environmental impact during initial project decision making by reusing existing building resources and/or through Life Cycle Assessment.

– Achieve one option according to criteria for existing building reuse and Life Cycle Assessment

• OPTION 1. Historic Building Reuse

• OPTION 2. Renovation of Abandoned or Blighted Building

• OPTION 3. Building and Material Reuse

• OPTION 4. Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment – For new construction buildings conduct a life cycle assessment of all the project’s structure and

enclosure that demonstrates a minimum of 10% reduction in at least 3 of the 6 impact categories l

• Option 5. Building Reuse with Additions

Tools (Listing by Life-Cycle Costing / Assessment Category)

• ATHENA EcoCalculator for Assemblies • Architects, engineers and other design professionals can have instant access to instant life-cycle

assessment (LCA) results for hundreds of common bui... • ATHENA Impact Estimator for Buildings • Architects, engineers and researchers can get life cycle assessment (LCA) answers about conceptual

designs of new buildings or renovations to existing... • Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) • The BEES software brings to your fingertips a powerful technique for balancing the environmental

and economic performance of building products. The to... • Building Life-Cycle Cost (BLCC) • BLCC5 is programmed in Java with an XML file format. The user's guide is part of the BLCC5 Help

system. The program maintains the same basic approach ... • ECONPACK • A comprehensive economic analysis computer package incorporating economic analysis

calculations, documentation and reporting capabilities.

Source: http://www.wbdg.org/tools/tools_cat.php?c=3

Acronyms & Terms You NEED to Know

• Sustainable Design – – Sustainability is the concept of meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own

needs. (AIA)

• ISO – – International Organization for Standardization

• LCA – Life Cycle Assessment – Technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life - ISO-14040

• EPD - Environmental Product Declaration – – Per ISO 14025, is quantified environmental data for a product with pre-set categories of parameters based on the ISO 14040

series of standards, but not excluding additional environmental information.

• PCR – Product Category Rules - – Defines same scope, calculation rules and format for reporting LCAs in a given product category

• Program Operator – – ISO 14025. standard, requires a program operator is responsible for the administration of the entire EPD program

• Life Cycle Assessment - – Specific methodology that helps to quantify the impacts of products from extraction of raw materials through end of life

• Cradle to Gate – – Resource extraction (cradle) to the job site

• Gate to Gate – – Partial LCA looking at only one value-added process in the entire production chain

• Cradle to Grave – – Resource extraction ('cradle') to use phase and disposal phase ('grave').

• Cradle to Cradle – – Specific kind of cradle-to-grave assessment, where the end-of-life disposal step for the product is a recycling process

• HPD – Health Product Declaration – (Proposed) – Common submittal form for communicating information about product content and chemical hazards in building products

LCA Outcomes

• LCA - tool to measure and improve environmental impacts of products, materials and buildings. – Currently LCAs and EPDs do not address material toxicities

• EPDs are how LCAs are reported • PCRs are required to allow comparable EPDs • Product environment & sustainability certifications validate specific

areas of environmental performance – VOC compliance

• Specify environmental performance requirements – Labels and certifications can be recognized for compliance of

environmental performance requirements

• There are only a few EPDs and PCRs registered in the US • Tools for Whole Building LCA are limited

– http://www.wbdg.org/resources/greenproducts.php

The Rest of the Story Assessing and Specifying

Environmental Product Declarations

Questions Presented by:

Paul Bertram FCSI, CDT, LEED AP

Kingspan: Director, Environment & Sustainability CSI Institute President

[email protected]