Page 39 - Green Builder Magazine Nov-Dec 2017 Issue

CREDIT: BPC GREEN BUILDERS INC.

create the EPD and have it verified by an independent third party,
such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Environment, for added
credibility.
Two definitive approaches taken by manufacturers in pursuit of
an EPD are the “cradle-to-gate” approach and the “cradle-to-grave”
CREDIT: ATHENA SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS INSTITUTE environmental impact from raw material extraction until it reaches
approach. The cradle-to-gate evaluation of a product is the minimum
allowed for an EPD under LEED v4; it examines the product’s

the “gate” of the manufacturing facility.
Manufacturers like CertainTeed Gypsum, however, are increasingly
opting for the more-robust cradle-to-grave approach. In fact,
CertainTeed Gypsum was the first manufacturer in the drywall
category to use EPDs as a transparency vehicle. The cradle-to-
grave approach is based on a full LCA that examines the product’s
environmental impact at each stage of its life cycle, from “cradle to
building for the customer. In addition, the more sustainability- grave.” For example, LCAs for a building product would likely report
minded consumers of today are becoming more interested in the on the environmental impacts tied to raw material extraction and
environmental impact of the products they use. According to the transportation, product manufacturing, use phase and the product’s
end of life.
2015 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report from public
The ABCs of EPDs relations and marketing agency Cone Communications, 90 percent
of consumers said they would switch from using a current brand
to another brand that associates with a social or environmental
cause, 80 percent said they seek out environmentally responsible
products and 71 percent are willing to pay more for a product if
it was certified sustainable. CREDIT: SAINT-GOBAIN NORTH AMERICA
However, as consumers become more interested in sustainable
products, many of them are viewing manufacturers’ sustainable
product claims with suspicion. According to the CSR study, only 44
percent of Americans believe the sustainable product claims made by Now you see it. CertainTeed Gypsum was the first drywall
manufacturers, and 77 percent said they would stop using a product manufacturer to use Environmental Product Declarations as a
if it was proved less sustainable than originally claimed. The greater transparency vehicle.
transparency offered by an EPD gives proof that a manufacturer is So, compared to the cradle-to-grave approach, the cradle-to-
striving to be an environmental steward and helps win the confidence gate evaluation gives a very limited view of a product’s overall
of consumers. environmental impact. Project teams that seek out products with
To gain clearer understanding of the depth of transparency cradle-to-grave EPDs during specification are better able to understand
provided by EPDs, it is helpful to take a closer look at the process. the full environmental impact picture, from raw material extraction
to product end of life. They can then make more sustainable decisions
How EPDs Are Made accordingly.
Manufacturers must undergo a lengthy, robust business process
when developing an EPD. This starts with the selection of a program How EPDs Help Earn LEED Credits
operator, an independent agency which ensures that the key steps There are a variety of categories under LEED v4 where specifiers
in creating an EPD are followed in accordance with ISO standards. can maximize their credits by selecting products that have EPDs.
Next, the manufacturer must establish product category rules (PCRs) The first and most common way to achieve LEED credits is under
that follow the guidelines of industry standard ISO 14040:2006 - LEED v4 Materials and Resources Credit (MR credit 2)—EPD.
Environmental management—Life cycle assessment—Principles and This credit requires that a project team specify 20 different
framework. The manufacturer then conducts a life cycle assessment products that have EPDs, sourced from at least five different
(LCA) to determine the product’s overall environmental impact, manufacturers. The availability of manufacturer-specific EPDs

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