Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) Webinar-Environmental Products Declaration Handout

Environmental Products Declaration Handout

Pdf Summary

This document is a presentation on environmental product declarations (EPD) and sustainability concepts related to precast concrete. It begins by outlining the learning objectives, which include understanding the current resources available and being able to discuss basic concepts related to sustainability. <br /><br />The presentation then introduces common acronyms and definitions such as LCA (life-cycle assessment), PCR (product category rules), and EPD (environmental product declaration). It explains that sustainability consists of three pillars: social, economic, and environmental, and references the Brundtland Report's definition of sustainable development.<br /><br />The document goes on to discuss environmental concepts related to life-cycle stages, including cradle-to-gate and cradle-to-grave. It explains the goals and scope of LCA, the importance of product category rules, and the purpose of environmental product declarations.<br /><br />The next sections focus on the environmental impacts of the precast concrete industry. It discusses the life-cycle inventory, which includes CO2, N2O, CH4, NOx, SO2, CO, VOC emissions, as well as waste and energy consumption. The document also highlights environmental issues such as acidification, eutrophication, global warming, ozone depletion, and smog formation.<br /><br />The presentation then delves into certifications and labels related to environmental sustainability, such as Type I, II, and III labels. It also mentions market drivers for sustainability and embodied carbon requirements in codes and standards.<br /><br />The document explains the current policy work and stakeholder initiatives related to embodied carbon and provides examples such as the Low Embodied Carbon Concrete Leadership Act in New Jersey and the Colorado Department of Transportation's requirements for plant-specific EPDs.<br /><br />The presentation concludes by discussing current resources offered by the PCI (Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute) in terms of sustainability, such as access to structural EPDs and publications. It also outlines planned resources, including the updating of EPDs, webinars on data collection, and the reformation of the Sustainability Committee.<br /><br />Overall, the document provides an overview of key concepts and resources related to environmental sustainability and precast concrete.

Keywords

environmental product declarations

sustainability concepts

precast concrete

learning objectives

resources available

sustainable development

life-cycle assessment

product category rules

environmental impacts

certifications and labels