Overview:

Understanding the impact of the materials and systems we specify is crucial to a low-carbon built environment, and EPDs are a great tool to ensure that the decisions we make are well informed.

The UK chapter of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats recently hosted a round table event to gain insights into the use of EPDs within the built environment. The event was an open discussion between various disciplines, including developers, designers, suppliers, and contractors who share common goals. Namely: to identify the obstacles we face., identify our successes, and outline future steps to make EDPs more widely used.

  The session identified challenges around time and complexity in producing EPDs, as well as the increasing drive for product-specific EPDs. Whilst the market is responding, it was clear that there is some disparity in the supply chain, and an occasional disconnect between design teams and manufacturers/suppliers. Often, cheaper products prevail over those with EPDs,  once the project is on-site.

Through the discussion, the topic of providing EPDs and warranties for re-used materials emerged. Whilst material re-use can drive low-carbon building solutions, by their very nature they present other challenges. In the new year the UK chapter of the CTBUH will dig deeper into this topic, and bring it before our wider industry in a focused event.

Notes:

•  Demand is driving the need for suppliers to have EPDs.
•  Often by the time it comes to construction, the cheaper option becomes more important than the one with an EPD.
•  A project should have two budgets, a cost budget and a carbon budget.
•  Better conversations with client teams concerning the value of sustainability vs the cost of sustainable products are needed.
•  Early engagement with the supply chain is key.
•  Smaller subcontractors are less educated on certification systems and EPDs – this poses a problem: change needs to be driven down the supply chain.
•  The time associated with creating an EPD, and the related cost with third party verifications could put smaller suppliers off – this needs to be challenged.
•  EPDs need to be product specific. Generic EPDs are not much help, though perhaps easier for the supplier to produce.
•  Integration is key – can the industry look to bring EPDs into BIM?
•  Bigger suppliers are starting to offer EPD on demand.
•  Re-use is gaining momentum. How do we provide EPDs for re-use? Also, issues around offering warranty and insurance need to be addressed. Brands could be damaged if they are unaware that their products are being re-used in a state below their standard.

Attendees:

Chair: Sukriye Robinson (Rae) (UK CTBUH/SOM) 

Mo Sheriff (SOM)

Simon Baxter (Hines)

Eddie Jump (Thornton Tomasetti)

Sophie Bowers (Severfield)

Debra Smith (Kingspan)

Veronika Elfmarkova (London Concrete)

Jon Spencer-Hall (Core5)

Matt Grange (Core 5)

Steve Gilchrist (Grosvenor)

Doug Baldock (Ramboll)

Chris Willis  (Aquatherm)

Maria Fernandez Cachafeiro  (Multiplex)

Mirko Farnetani - (High Performance Design - SOM)