All public procurement bodies in the EU and EEA are required to use what are called EPDs, or Environmental Product Declarations, to assess the environmental footprint of products.
These EPDs have become the standard way of reporting and communicating life cycle assessment (LCA) results within the construction sector.
So, we were pleased to hear that MiTek Posi-Joist and Connector Plates have become EPD verified for the UK market.
This means that anyone specifying either product can now easily assess and quantifiably demonstrate the environmental credentials, impact, and benefits or using these MiTek products.
We’re proud to say that MiTek is one of the first to be able to offer EPD information on the specification of products used to manufacture metal-web joists and trusses to the industry.
The move marks part of MiTek’s wider response to addressing climate change and taking our own steps to make a difference and shape the built environment – not only in the way we operate, but also in our products, which are used by millions across the globe.
Creating EPDs is a voluntary activity but it’s been an ambition of MiTek’s to empower customers and provide transparency in supply chains. We think it’s important to offer this information to our customers so they can make better informed and ethical choices about the products they use in their construction projects.
MiTek is planning to introduce EPDs in Sweden and the Czech Republic in the coming months.
Going through this process is another positive step forward in our understanding of the CO2 emissions and climate impacts of our products, and will ultimately help us to drive further innovations towards environmental impact reduction.
To view the EPD’s click here or visit Greenbook Live, or the ECO Platform, where results are publicly listed in Europe. They are also hosted in BRE’s LINA portal for people to download.
More info
What does an EPD contain?
The EPD contains information about the product and its potential environmental impacts and benefits:
- Technical information: Relevant product data and information
- LCA information: Environmental impacts, e.g. Global Warming Potential, Cumulative Energy Demand, Acidification Potential, but also a description of the LCA process (data, methods, assumptions)
- Other relevant environmental information (e.g. VOCs, hazardous materials, etc.)
- Review and verification information: Information on the LCA consultant and the EPD program operator, and the external 3rd party EPD verifier
The EPD enables specifiers to quantifiably demonstrate the environmental performance of a product, while Lifecycle Assessment is used to total up the environmental impact of a products supply chain.
EPD are an incredibly important industry marker of a products environmental impact, and more specifically its GWP (Global Warming Potential), which a products performance is ultimately scored on. The scope covers everything from raw materials supply, to transport, and manufacturing.
About BRE
BRE Global is internationally recognised for its expertise in LCA and pioneering work in the environmental evaluation of construction products for whole building assessment and other related schemes (BREEAM, The Green Guide to Specification, IMPACT, etc.).
