ECO Platform has recently published a position paper on "the introduction of an EU-initiated PEF-methodology into the construction sector," encouraging cooperation with international standard bodies and partners associated in their work to be accepted on a global scale.

ECO Platform is an International Non-Profit Association established by European EPD Program Operators registering ECO Platform EPDs, European Trade Associations in the construction sector and LCA practitioners.

The position paper may be downloaded from the ECO Platform website.

With the EPD registrations made in January, Saint-Gobain has now become the company group with the most Environmental Product Declarations published in the International EPD® System. The companies in the group manufactures and distributes building and high-performance materials.

The EPDs registered in the International EPD® System are primarily for Gypsum and Insulation products, but also for mortars and innovative materials. Brands include British Gypsum, Gyproc, Rigips, Isover, Weber, SolarGard and Ecophon. All EPDs published in the recent years are made in compliance with the European standard EN 15804 to provide the Core Product Category Rules.

“We are extremely proud to be the Group with most EPDs registered in the International EPD® System. At Saint-Gobain, we carried out our first LCAs in the early 1990s and since then, we have chosen LCA as the main tool for measuring the environmental footprint of our products.

We provide the results to our customers through verified EPDs so they can use this credible information for their own projects,” says Camillle Fabre, Sustainable Habitat Manager at Saint-Gobain.

The declarations are publically available to any interested stakeholder via the EPD database at www.environdec.com.

A scientific paper by Ibáñez-Forés et. al was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Cleaner Production. The researchers from the Universitat Jaume I, Castellón and Universidad Politécnica de Valencia in Spain have focused on the International EPD® System to investigate the evolution of EPD and PCR, as well as performing a survey among EPD owners.

The study, which was performed without the invovlement of the International EPD® System, showed that the main advantages of EPDs in International EPD® System for companies are to:

• communicate objective information,
• improve the corporate image, and
• communicate large amounts of environmental information.

The main drawback for the application of EPDs was identified as the lack of knowledge about EPD by consumers.

"We are happy to learn that the advantages of the International EPD® System are highlighted by companies and in this scientific paper. Our increased focus on events and activities to improve the knowledge of EPDs also appear to be fully aligned with the conclusions of the researchers," says Joakim Thornéus at the EPD International Secretariat 

The article is available for purchase online via ScienceDirect. The full reference to the paper is:

• Ibáñez-Forés V, Pacheco-Blanco B, Capuz-Rizo SF, Bovea MD, Environmental product declarations: Exploring their evolution and the factors affecting their demand in Europe, Journal of Cleaner Production (2016), doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.12.078.

Note: The EPD statistics analysed in Chapter 4 of the paper appear to only cover EPDs currently published at www.environdec.com. EPDs that have been published and later de-registered would thus not be included in the statistics. This would especially be the case for EPDs published in the 1990's and early 2000's, why the recent growth in EPD registrations may be somewhat overestimated. The Secretariat has reached out to the authors to clarify this point, even though it is unlikely that it will affect their conclusions.

Two Product Category Rules (PCR) have recently been updated:

• Mineral and chemical fertlizers
• Books, in print

The PCRs were updated according to the PCR process described in the General Programme Instructions of the International EPD® System, based on ISO 14025. The development of the PCRs was led by the PCR Moderators Monica de la Cruz (Oficina Life+ Ecoedición), and Germana Olivieri (LCA–lab srl)/Federico Tonelli (SCAM S.p.A), respectively. Stakeholders were invited to provide comments on draft versions during an open consultation.

The PCRs are now once again available for any company in the industry to develop and register an EPD of their products. They are available to download from the PCR database in the International EPD® System (www.environdec.com/PCR).

A record number of 139 EPDs were registered in the International EPD® System in 2015, breaking the previous record with more than 20 additional EPD registrations in a single year.

About half of the EPD registrations were for Construction products, followed by the product categories Food and agriculture products; Wood and paper products; Electricity; Transport vehicles and equipment. The main countries for EPD registrations were Italy, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, Argentina and Australia.

Nine new Product Category Rules (PCR) were published during the year, introducing the possibility to do EPDs for product categories such as lifts, yachts, cosmetics and passenger commercial aeroplanes. Another 29 PCRs were updated to ensure that the guidance they provide is up-to-date with the latest developments.

The Secretariat wishes you all a successful 2016 and happy holidays!

Product Category Rules (PCR) for declaring the life-cycle environmental impact of Tanning chemicals have now been published in the International EPD® System. This document is the first known PCR according to ISO 14025 for the product group, and enables any company in the industry to develop and register an EPD to be used for a wide range of applications, such as as one part of the environmental management system or in business-to-business communication.

The PCR was developed according to the PCR process described in the General Programme Instructions of the International EPD® System, based on ISO 14025. The development of the PCR was led by Federico Brugnoli at Spin 360 Srl as the PCR Moderator. During the development of the document, it has been subject to open consultation on www.environdec.com as well as a review by the Technical Committee as the appointed review panel.

Folkhem has become the first company to register the first EPD® of a whole building in the International EPD® System. The EPD declares the impact per square meter temperature controlled spaces of a concept building, located in Stockholm and consisting of 10 floors. The bottom level and half of the 2nd floor are below ground level are of concrete, while the other floors above ground level consists mainly of solid wood.

"Calculating and communicating the life cycle environmental impact of a whole building is an interesting new product group for EPDs, says Joakim Thornéus, programme manager of the International EPD® System. We are happy to see that Folkhem chose to be a forerunner and provide this type of information for their different stakeholders."

The EPD® has undergone verification by an approved verifier, and checked against the Product Category Rules (PCR) for buildings. This PCR was published in 2014, and aims for compliance with the European standards EN 15804 and EN 15978.

Product Category Rules (PCR) for declaring the life-cycle environmental impact of Yachts have now been published in the International EPD® System. This document is the first known PCR according to ISO 14025 for the product group, and enables any company in the industry to develop and register an EPD to be used for a wide range of applications, such as eco-design and business-to-business communication.

The PCR was developed according to the PCR process described in the General Programme Instructions of the International EPD® System, based on ISO 14025. The development of the PCR was led by Pier Giorgio Finatti at VSY as the PCR Moderator. During the development of the document, it has been subject to open consultation on www.environdec.com as well as a review by the Technical Committee as the appointed review panel.