GREENBUILD 2011: UL Environment clarifies emerging environmental product declaration field

UL Environment Inc. released a White Paper to help educate all stakeholders about Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and help clarify the role of the EPD Program Operator. The new guidance document, “Transparency and the Role of Environmental Product Declarations,” accompanies the announcement of newly certified EPDs for Interface and Kingspan Insulated Metal Panels and release of a Thermal Building Envelope Insulation Product Category Rule.

The report – available here – provides guidance on:

Market demand for EPDs;
ISO 14025 compliant EPD creation process;
Importance of life cycle analysis in the EPD creation process;
Why Product Category Rules (PCRs) needed;
Necessity for PCR harmonization;
Role of the EPD Program Operator; and
What’s next for EPDs, including the management of public data.

An EPD is an internationally accepted, third-party reviewed report detailing a product’s environmental impacts throughout its lifecycle, and often include additional performance, health, and company information. EPDs promote transparency and facilitate comparison of impacts among products in the same category.

Life cycle-based assessment tools are rapidly being embraced by the construction and building industry as an emerging component of green building certification processes. EPDs are currently rewarded by various green building rating systems such as CHPS and BREEAM. The USGBC recently started to recognize EPDs through Pilot Credit 43 and the draft version of the LEED 2012 includes credits that encourage the use of EPDs. BD+C

Climate change is having a dramatic impact on urban design, in terms of planning, materials, occupant use, location, and the long-term effect of buildings on the environment. Joining BD+C's John Caulfield to discuss this topic are two experts from the Boston-based CBT Architects: Kishore Varanasi, a Principal and director of urban design; and Devanshi Purohit, an Associate Principal.

Multifamily Housing | Jul 14, 2022

Multifamily rents rise again in June, Yardi Matrix reports

Average U.S. multifamily rents rose another $19 in June to edge over $1,700 for the first time ever, according to the latest Yardi® Matrix Multifamily Report.

Building Team | Jul 14, 2022

Austin PBS gets a new state-of-the-art facility with three studios

Since the 1970s, Austin PBS, birthplace of the Austin City Limits TV series, has been based inside the communications building on the University of Texas campus—a space it has long outgrown.