With buildings contributing nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, pressure is mounting on construction companies to adopt environmentally responsible practices. This urgency comes not only from regulators but also from clients, who increasingly prioritize eco-friendly projects. As a result, industry leaders are calling for greater transparency from materials manufacturers to help meet ambitious sustainability goals.
A key solution being promoted is the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). EPDs are standardized documents that provide verified information about the environmental impact of construction materials, allowing stakeholders to make data-driven decisions. Contractors like Clayco, Skanska, and Turner Construction have led initiatives through the Carbon Action Network (contractorsCAN) to urge manufacturers to embrace EPDs, pushing the construction industry towards greener practices.
As the industry undergoes this transformation, EPDs are vital not only for achieving sustainability goals but also for navigating evolving regulatory landscapes. The growing importance of transparency in material sourcing represents a significant shift in the sector, where data-driven decision-making is fast becoming the norm.
What Are Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)?
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a detailed document that outlines the environmental impact of a product throughout its lifecycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. Unlike broad environmental claims, EPDs are based on data-driven lifecycle assessments (LCAs), providing a clearer view of a product’s sustainability credentials. These assessments measure global warming potential (GWP), resource consumption, and emissions.
EPDs are developed following international standards like ISO 14025 and ISO 14040, ensuring consistency and comparability across products. For contractors, this means they can reliably compare materials based on verified environmental data, helping them make more informed procurement decisions that align with sustainability goals. For example, an EPD for concrete might reveal the advantages of using recycled materials like fly ash, which significantly reduces carbon emissions.
In addition to their environmental insights, EPDs are increasingly critical for securing industry certifications such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). These certifications enhance the marketability of green building projects, making EPDs a valuable tool for firms looking to remain competitive in an eco-conscious market.
Major Contractors Are Pushing for EPDs
The call for greater transparency in construction materials has gained significant momentum among US construction giants. A coalition of contractors, under the Carbon Action Network (contractorsCAN), is advocating for manufacturers to adopt EPDs. Leading companies such as Clayco, Skanska, and Turner Construction have publicly supported this initiative, stressing that EPDs are crucial to meeting long-term sustainability goals.
These contractors acknowledge that while obtaining EPDs may involve initial costs, the long-term environmental and economic benefits far outweigh the upfront investments. By encouraging the use of materials with lower carbon footprints, contractors not only enhance their environmental credentials but also reduce future costs associated with carbon taxes or penalties. They believe that adopting EPDs will help the construction industry meet growing regulatory demands and respond to consumers’ increasing expectations for sustainability.
EPDs provide transparency on the lifecycle impacts of materials, empowering decision-makers to select products that align with their sustainability goals. This shift toward data-driven decision-making marks a fundamental change in how construction projects are planned and executed.
Government Support and Legislative Drivers
Government initiatives are further supporting the push for EPDs, with a notable example being the Biden-Harris Administration’s ‘Buy Clean’ initiative. This program, bolstered by investments from the Inflation Reduction Act, encourages the use of low-carbon construction materials in federal projects. The initiative focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by requiring contractors to source materials that meet stringent environmental standards.
The ‘Buy Clean’ program emphasizes the importance of EPDs as a critical tool for identifying and selecting cleaner materials. By mandating the use of materials with EPDs, the US government aims to drive innovation in material production and push manufacturers to lower the carbon footprint of their products. This initiative is particularly significant, given that federal projects account for over 50% of concrete purchases in the US each year.
The Inflation Reduction Act allocates funding to assist US manufacturers in developing EPDs, helping them remain competitive in both domestic and international markets. This legislation positions the US as a leader in the global movement toward greener construction practices, ensuring that American-made materials meet the highest environmental standards.
The Impact of EPDs on the Construction Industry
As the construction industry continues to evolve, the adoption of EPDs is expected to become a core requirement for both public and private projects. EPDs provide a transparent, data-driven framework that allows contractors, developers, and project planners to make informed decisions about the environmental impact of the materials they use. With increasing pressure from both regulators and eco-conscious clients, EPDs are poised to be a standard part of future projects.
The rise of low-carbon procurement is one of the key impacts of EPDs. As more contractors and developers seek materials with lower embodied carbon, manufacturers will be incentivized to produce greener alternatives. This could lead to increased use of recycled materials, such as fly ash, which significantly reduces carbon emissions compared to conventional products. Over time, this shift could help the industry achieve its carbon reduction goals.
EPDs will continue to play a vital role in green certifications like LEED and BREEAM. As these certifications become more important in both private and public sectors, having verifiable EPDs will help construction companies meet stringent sustainability requirements. This will not only enhance the marketability of their projects but also help them stay competitive as both clients and regulators push for greener solutions.
Future advances in government policies will likely influence the role of EPDs in the industry. Programs like the Biden-Harris Administration’s ‘Buy Clean’ program will continue to expand, requiring manufacturers to provide EPDs to demonstrate their materials’ environmental performance. This will further cement the importance of EPDs as the industry shifts toward sustainability.
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