Page 12 - European Energy Innovation - Spring 2016 publication
P. 12
12 Spring 2016 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION
ECO Platform makes the dream
of European EPD a reality
ECO PLATFORM MAKES THE DREAM transportation, construction, quality, order to answer the question of what
OF EUROPEAN EPD A REALITY costs, as well as the potential of material is the most sustainable, the
For a long time the provision of recycling, needs to be considered building context needs to be defined
environmental information has been a along with their effects during the
time consuming and costly issue for the stages of use over the building’s ASSESSMENTS SHOULD BE MADE
industry. Now the ECO Platform solves lifetime. Sounds complex? It is. But AT THE BUILDING LEVEL – PRODUCT-
this problem with the ECO EPD – a truly there is no other way to learn about TO-PRODUCT COMPARISONS ARE
European solution for all construction the real and full impact of various types ALWAYS INCOMPLETE!
products. of construction and choosing the best The evaluation of the sustainable
materials for the environment. performance of buildings is described
THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR in the rating schemes for buildings
HOLDS HUGE POTENTIAL FOR WHAT IS THE MOST SUSTAINABLE like LEED, BREEAM, HQE or DGNB,
SAVINGS! BUILDING PRODUCT? which have rapidly gained international
While we are looking for ways to There is no easy answer to this. relevance in sustainability reporting. To
reduce our environmental impact on Sustainability describes the holistic evaluate environmental performance,
this planet, we realise that the building view of environmental, economic and it is important to do a life cycle
sector is responsible for roughly one social impacts. Holistic means that the assessment (LCA). The impacts of the
third of all energy consumption and entire lifespan and all side effects are building and the building elements
greenhouse gas emissions. A big part considered. A sustainability assessment become transparent throughout the
of that impact is linked to construction only makes sense at the building level different life cycle stages.
products. The use of resources and because construction products are not
the related emissions from production, final products but intermediates and in As the building consists of building
materials, the life cycle data from the
Assessment Evaluation construction products is required for
(deliver data) (communicate results) any building stage. This is the modular
Building calculation rules benchmark Green THE AISBL ECO PLATFORM
level building LCA Building A common European solution to
Certificate communicate the environmental
impacts of construction products.
EPD
Membership Groups:
Product calculation rules benchmark PEF
level indicators • EPD Programme Operators
specific • European Trade Associations
industry • LCA Practitioners
data
• Green Building Councils / Rating
general Scheme Operators
background Liaison with: CEN/TC 350
database
Number of EPDs in the market:
>2,000
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