Environmental Information on Construction Products (EICP) Philip Bennett CEPMC Council of European Producers of Materials for Construction Conseil Européen des Producteurs de Matériaux de Construction Vereinigung Europäischer Baustoffhersteller CEPMC UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

EICP - What is it? - What are the benefits? - Latest developments - Challenges ahead UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

What is EICP? EICP is a voluntary, industry-based initiative for providing transparent, accurate and reliable environmental information on construction products UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

EICP in Sustainable Construction - Quality - Costs - Standards - Etc... EICP Other environmental information Whole Life Costing Environmental assessment of buildings - Specifiers - Architects - Local authorities - etc... UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Characteristics of EICP Scheme-based LCA-based (LCI on all the phases of the life cycle) using ISO principles Quantified environmental data Pre-set categories of parameters Quality assurance (usually, critical review) UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

The main EICP actors in Europe National Scheme LCI/LCIA Producers scheme organiser/promoter operator involved to date UK Env. Profiles BRE - Building BRE on a 26 sectors Research Establishment sector basis uk/envprofiles/ France Communication of AIMCC - French Constr. Ecobilan (PwC) 8 sectors Env. Characteristics Products Association on a sector basis of Building Prods Germany Building Materials IKP-Stuttgart Univ. commissioned around 25 Profiles by sector sectors Nether- MRPI-Env. Relevant NVTB-Dutch Constr. commissioned 14 sectors lands Product Information Products Association by company UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

The main EICP actors in Europe National Scheme LCI/LCIA Producers Scheme organiser/promoter Operator involved to date Sweden Building Products BYKR-Ecocycle Council commissioned700 products Declarations for Building Sector by company EPD ® EMAS Council commissioned by sector Denmark EPDs for Building SBI-Danish Building & SBI 40 sectors Product (MVDB) Urban Research Norway Env. Declaration NBI-Norwegian Buil- NBI of Building Prods ding Research Institute Finland Env. Declaration RTS-Finnish Building VTT- Building 50 sectors of Building Prods Information Institute and Transport UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Examples of software models for the environmental assessment of buildings and components Country Model Model owner Further Information UK Envest (New Env.BRE Impact Estimatingenvest.html Software) France EscaleCSTB Germany Build-It IKP - Stuttgart University Nether- Eco-Quantum IVAM, W/E, Prisman lands UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Examples of software models for the environmental assessment of buildings and components Country Model Model owner Further Information Sweden Eco-effect KTH Infrastructure & Planning Denmark Beat 2000 (Building SBI Env. Assessment Tool) research/environmental-impacts from-buildings/index.htm Norway Ecoprofile NBI default.htm Finland LCA House VTT lcahouse.html UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

What are the benefits of EICP? EU policies for sustainable development and integrated product policy (IPP) Major benefits for construction Level playing-field for suppliers Alternative to eco-labelling which is unsuitable for B2B construction products Alternative to “preference lists” (which are based on varying and questionable methodology) “Greening” of public procurement Improvement of sector image UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Sustainable Development and IPP Working Group on Sustainable Construction - Sept 2000 (Tripartite Group : EC, Member States, Industry) “LCI-based environmental data schemes should become general practice for the construction products industry.” EC Communication on the sixth environment action programme of the European Community - 24 January 2001 “Member States and companies should aim at introducing product information schemes for all types of products in the years to come and the Commission will encourage this under its Integrated Product Policy approach.” UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Sustainable Development and IPP EC Green Paper on Integrated Product Policy - 7 February 2001 “The general philosophy of increasing the amount of product information on the market calls for flexible and cost-effective solutions. For example, the criteria of environmental performance developed for product groups, based on a transparent examination of life cycle considerations, could be more extensively used.” EU Council Conclusions on the EC Green Paper on IPP June 2001 “The Council calls upon the Commission to: … Present a coherent strategy to ensure that credible life cycle data and other reliable environmental information related to products are disseminated through the product chain. It should … cover improvements … in the elaboration of life cycle databases and other relevant business-to-business information (e.g. ISO Type III)” UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Major benefits for construction EICP provides transparent, accurate and reliable information for: the optimal eco-design of new products the improvement of existing products assisting architects, specifiers, contractors, purchasers in their choice of products (for a specific application) and in the eco- efficient and safe design, use and maintenance of construction works assisting contractors and recycling companies in the environmentally-friendly recovery (or safe disposal) of waste materials from end-of-life construction works UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Level playing field for suppliers Within a single (national) scheme there is a recognised, uniform methodology and presentation format for all construction products Most national schemes are based on ISO TR 14025, Type III Environment Declarations - Guiding Principles and Procedures UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

EICP vs Eco-labels Type I (ISO 14024) Pass/fail award scheme (with cut-off points set on what basis?) Suitable for end-consumer requiring quick, non-detailed information Suitable for “end-use” products Type III (ISO TR 14025) Available for all products No comparison or weighting against other products Detailed information available for B2B purchasers/ specifiers Suitable for materials/ products/components to be incor- porated into end-use product, e.g. building Eco-Labels e.g. Blue Angel (D); Nordic Swan Env. Declarations e.g. EICP schemes UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

EICP vs “preference lists” Increasing incidence of so-called “environmental experts” creating lists of recommended “green” products for use by public authorities Industry-generated EICP based on accepted LC methodology constitutes a far better alternative UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

“Greening” of public procurement EC Communication on Public Procurement and the Environment –eco-labels/EMAS not mandatory but may be used as proof of compliance with certain environmental requirements Further legislation to make eco-labelling and EMAS as sole proof of compliance? With EICP, eco-labelling is not necessary UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Improvement of Sector Image 20% of EU manufacturing output 2.5 million jobs (excluding distributive trades) different consturction products consumes 40% of total raw materials accounts for 40%, by weight, of total waste generated (most of which, however, is recovered) UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC BUT

Developments in EICP Industry European Commission Standards Bodies UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Developments in EICP – Industry Industry conference on 16 May 2001 (attended by 200 people) to review the existing national schemes in Europe and to assess their potential for harmonisation at a European level. higher awareness of EICP as a tool for sustainable construction a greement that, to avoid higher costs and barriers to trade (particularly for SMEs), a cross-border harmonisation of EICP schemes is necessary support for international standardisation of approach UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Developments in EICP – European Commission DG Environment Draft Interim Report “Evaluation of EPD Schemes” April 2002 which sees the construction sector as a frontrunner DG Enterprise Construction Unit. Project with consultant PwC comparing national EICP schemes, the potential for their harmonisation and their potential use for harmonised standards Expert Workshop on 20 June 2002 UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Developments in EICP – Standards Bodies NEN (Dutch Standards Body) AFNOR (French Standards Body) ISO/TC 207/ SC3/WG4 (Environmental management - Environmental labelling) ISO/TC 59/ SC3/WG12 (Building construction - Functional/ user requirements and performance in building construction) UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

NEN (Dutch Standards Body) Draft Standard : NEN 7185 Material-related environmental profile of a building Description of a method (related to the Dutch Building Decree) for determining the environmental impact characteristics of residential buildings, based on LCA data of materials and construction products UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

AFNOR (French Standards Body) Experimental Standard : XP P Environmental quality of construction products - Information concerning the environmental characteristics of construction products Part 1 : Methodology and model of data declaration - published in April 2001 Part 2 : Common methodology for determining the contribution of products to environmental impacts of buildings - health and comfort aspects included (Based on ISO 14042) - published in April 2002 UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

ISO/TC 207 Environmental Management ISO/TC 207/SC3/WG4 Type III Env. Declarations TR standard? Does not wish to develop sector-specific standards based on TR Will co-operate with ISO/TC 59/SC3/WG12 which is taking the lead on a construction sector standard. UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

ISO/TC 59 Building Construction TC/59/SC3/WG12 Sustainable Building Construction Working since end 2000 on standard for “guidelines to promote an objective methodology for environmental declaration of building materials and products”. Proposal that WG12 becomes SC19 under AFNOR Secretariat. UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC

Challenges ahead With regard to providing environmental information, the construction products sector is one of the most advanced in Europe. However, challenges lie ahead: –Acceptance by both private and public procurement purchasers that EICP is more suited to their needs than eco- labelling –EU harmonisation of national EICP schemes –The use of EICP data in harmonised standards UNICE/Eco-Label Information Day, 24 June 2002 CEPMC