EPD Declarations and LCA Product Life Cycle Analysis

 

LCA (Life-cycle assessment) is a life cycle assessment, a technique that allows you to assess the ecological footprint of a product throughout its life, at all stages: extraction, production, packaging, transportation, use, disposal. “Product” means both material and services.

LCA is an integral part for the project implementation, preparation of EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) – a declaration that contains data on the environmental impact of an object during its life cycle.

 

Cradle to grave – full (final) product cycle.

 

Cradle to cradle – closed (continuous) product cycle.

 

Description of services

The most complete picture of the impact of the products and activities of companies can be determined through a life cycle analysis. The particular result of the analysis of the life cycle of a building material is the EPD certificate. We help our clients to conduct a life cycle analysis and prepare EPD certificates.

Directions of expertise

Assessment of the life cycle of buildings

  • Conducting a full assessment of the life cycle of buildings and optimizing design solutions by categories of environmental impact:
  1. Global warming potential, CO2 e
  2. Depletion of the ozone layer, kg CFC-11
  3. Oxidation of land and water resources, H+ or kg SO2
  4. Eutrophication, kg of nitrogen or phosphate
  5. Formation of ozone in the troposphere, kg of Nox or kg of ethylene
  6. Depletion of non-renewable resources – energy sources (oil, gas, coal), MJ

 

  • Preparation of accounting documents required to obtain points according to the standards: LEED – calculation of the life cycle of a building by ecology (LCA) for the criterion criterion Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction and BREEAM – criterion Mat 01 Life cycle impacts. Determination of possible points and preparation of recommendations.
  • Calculation of the life cycle of a building by cost (LCC) for the criterion “Man 02 Life cycle cost and service life planning” of the BREEAM International Non-Domestic Renovation 2015 certification system, determination of possible points and preparation of recommendations.

 

Product life cycle assessment

  • Environmental impact assessment of the product at all stages of its life cycle in accordance with ISO 14040/14044: extraction of raw materials, production, transportation, operation, repair and maintenance, as well as disposal and processing.
  • Consulting services for the collection or calculation of data on various characteristics of the environmental impact of products.

International EPD certification:

  • Independent EPD verification of the product life cycle assessment carried out in accordance with ISO 14040/14044.
  • Entering EPD results into international databases.
  • Preparation of information booklets in target market languages.

 

Scope of evaluation of EPD – Cradle to Gate (before loading at the factory)

 

 

The standards allow to move from theoretical assessment and forecasts of environmental impacts to real data on impacts, thus allowing us to adapt the project:

  1. ISO 14040:2006 Environmental Management – Life cycle Assessment – Principles and Framework
  2. ISO 14044:2006 Environmental management – Life cycle Assessment – Requirements and guidelines
  3. ISO 14025:2006 Environmental labels and declarations -Type III environmental declarations – Principles and

 

Case study

Task: to analyze the life cycle and optimize the new building.

HPBS conducted a life cycle analysis and optimization of design solutions for the expansion project of the L’Oreal plant in the Kaluga region and received 3 points on the LEED system.

Our HPBS team, consisting of: engineers, construction managers, technical and financial experts, determined the volume of construction and % of completion. Having an extensive database on the commercial cost of construction, we calculated the budget for the completion of the object within 1 month with high accuracy. Also, in the process of technical inspection, violations of construction technology were identified and methods for their elimination were proposed.

 

Conducted:

  • Research on options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
  • Technical and economic assessment of greenhouse gas emission reduction scenarios
  • Calculations of energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Results: the building received 80 points and the world’s first LEED Platinum 4th generation certificate for an industrial enterprise. The project provides high parameters for saving energy, water, and ensuring climatic comfort.

 

International certification of buildings and territories in HРBS

 

Project life cycle assessment

Cross-border carbon regulation