Practical EPD Guide – Part 6
EPD for the curious, diligent, and determined: What to look for in a product environmental declaration, and why it matters
In previous articles, we analyzed the various contents of a product’s environmental declaration, helping architects, designers, and contractors make informed choices when selecting products.
As we’ve seen, an EPD is a document rich in information. This information deserves careful attention and thorough understanding, not only for industry professionals, but also for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge.
The components of total Global Warming Potential (GWP)
Total GWP is an indicator that measures a product’s impact on the greenhouse effect, commonly referred to as its “carbon footprint.”
Global warming potential is made up of three subcategories:
- Fossil: This category accounts for emissions from the combustion or oxidation of fossil fuels.
- Biogenic: This covers emissions from biomass. It is represented as a negative value, as it takes into account the CO₂ removed from the atmosphere during biomass growth.
- LULUC: This category considers emissions related to land use and land-use changes. LULUC stands for “Locally Unwanted Land Use.”
CO₂ Is Important, but There’s More to Consider
Under current standards, CO₂ is used as the reference gas for calculating Global Warming Potential (GWP).
To compare the impact of different greenhouse gases, their global warming potential must be calculated relative to carbon dioxide (CO₂). As CO₂ is the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming, it has been selected as the reference gas. This is why the overall impact of a product is expressed and quantified in CO₂ equivalents (CO₂ e).
This explanation is a simplified one, as CO₂ is just one of several variables; the most widely known.
Other Factors to Consider in an EPD
The following indicators also play a role in calculating the overall environmental impact of a product or service.
Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) | ODP is an indicator that measures how a substance affects the ozone layer in the stratosphere.
Acidification Potential (AP) | AP is an indicator used to assess the environmental impact of a product resulting from acidification processes. It also takes into account the potential effects on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Eutrophication Potential (EP) | EP measures a product’s ability to cause an excess of nutrients in aquatic ecosystems. This can lead to oxygen depletion, algal blooms, and a decline in water quality.
Photochemical Ozone Formation Potential (POCP) | POCP determines the extent to which a product contributes to the formation of tropospheric ozone. As a harmful air pollutant, tropospheric ozone leads to photochemical smog and has significant adverse effects on human health and ecosystems.
Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP) | ADP is used to quantify how a product contributes to the depletion of non-renewable resources.
Water Deprivation Potential (WDP) | WDP provides data on the environmental impact of water use based on its availability across different geographic locations.
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a document that provides a wealth of information about a product in relation to environmental protection.
The indicators mentioned above represent just some of the elements that need to be understood and properly interpreted. This is precisely one of GAIA Blog’s missions: to improve understanding of these concepts through a comprehensive and educational approach.
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