Environmental Product Declarations in Waterproofing: Newton’s Commitment to Sustainable Construction

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Written by Warren Muschialli

In an era where sustainability is at the forefront of construction industry concerns, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have emerged as crucial tools for architects, specifiers, and builders. These standardised documents provide transparent, verified sustainability information about the environmental impact of their products.

Specifically, EPDs outline the environmental impact of construction products throughout their life cycle, from extraction of raw materials to end of life, enabling strategic decisions that support sustainable practices.

For Newton Waterproofing, a leader in innovative waterproofing solutions, our EPDs represent a commitment to sustainable practices and a response to growing market demands for eco-friendly construction materials.

Understanding Environmental Product Declarations

Environmental Product Declarations are comprehensive background reports that detail the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle, including its ecological impact.

From raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal, EPDs offer a holistic view of a products ecological footprint. These declarations are based on Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and adhere to international standards, ensuring consistency and comparability across different products and manufacturers.

Key components of an EPD include:

1. Product description and specifications
2. Details of the manufacturing process
3. Life Cycle Assessment results
4. Resource use and emissions data
5. Potential environmental impacts

The Importance of EPDs in Sustainable Construction

EPDs play a vital role in promoting sustainable construction practices by:

1. Providing Transparency: EPDs offer verified environmental information, allowing architects and specifiers to make informed decisions about the products they choose.
2. Facilitating Comparisons: Standardised formatting enables easy comparison between similar products, helping professionals select the most suitable option.
3. Supporting Green Building Certifications: Many environmental assessment methods, such as BREEAM and LEED, recognise EPDs as a means of earning credits towards overall sustainability scores.
4. Driving Innovation: As manufacturers strive to improve their environmental performance, EPDs encourage continuous product development and innovation.
5. Meeting Market Demands: With increasing focus on sustainability, EPDs help manufacturers meet the growing demand for environmentally responsible products.

Newton Waterproofing’s EPD Journey

Newton has always been at the forefront of sustainable waterproofing solutions, and our commitment to environmental responsibility is reflected in our expanding range of EPD certificates. Our journey began with EPDs for three products, including the closed-cell Fibran XPS 500-C insulation, a key component of the Newton CDM cavity drain waterproofing system.

However, in response to the growing importance of EPDs in construction, we have recently acquired two additional EPDs for our high-performance, pre-applied external Type A waterproofing membranes:

1. HydroBond 402: A pre-applied, fully bonded sheet membrane for external waterproofing of below-ground structures.
2. HydroBond 403: A pre-applied, fully bonded and self-healing sheet membrane and radon barrier, with exceptional waterproofing capabilities.

These new EPDs demonstrate our continued commitment to transparency and environmental responsibility across our product range. Furthermore, both our Type A external HydroBond System and Type C cavity drain CDM System now possess products with full EPD certification.

Why are EPDs important for waterproofing products?

EPDs for waterproofing products are significant as they provide verified data on a product’s environmental impact. In turn, this allows specifiers to make informed decisions, selecting sustainable materials that contribute to green building certifications, and which meet increasing regulatory and market demands for eco-friendly construction solutions.

The EPD Process: From LCA to Verification

Creating an EPD involves several key steps:

1. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): This comprehensive analysis forms the foundation of an EPD, examining the product’s environmental impact from cradle to grave.
2. Product Category Rules (PCR): These guidelines ensure that EPDs within a specific product category are consistent and comparable.
3. EPD Development: Using the LCA results and following the PCR, the EPD document is created, detailing the product’s environmental performance.
4. Third-Party Verification: An independent verifier reviews the EPD to ensure accuracy and compliance with international standards.
5. Publication: Once verified, the EPD is published and made available through EPD programme operators or the manufacturer’s channels.

Environmental Impact Indicators in EPDs

In Europe, all EPDs must conform to European standard EN 15804 EPD. This ensures that these EPDs all report on the same 25 environmental impact indicators, grouped into three categories:

1. Environmental Impact Indicators:
   1. Global Warming Potential (GWP): Measures all CO2 and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during a products production and use.
   2. Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP): Assesses the production of ozone-depleting gases (e.g. CFCs, HCFCs and halons) that cause damage to the ozone layer.
   3. Acidification Potential (AP): Evaluates the product’s contribution to acidic gases such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), leading to the formation of acid rain.
   4. Eutrophication Potential (EP): Measures the impact on water ecosystems due to certain levels of nitrates and/or phosphates in water.
   5. Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP): Measures the release of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the low-level atmosphere, causing smog.
   6. Abiotic Depletion Potential: Evaluates the use of scarce non-renewable resources, including scarce chemical elements (ADPE) and fossil fuels (ADPF)
2. The second category reports on the amount of primary energy used both within the product and during manufacturing, and whether this comes from renewable sources. The EPD also includes information on the use of recycled materials, and the amount of recovered material, fuel or energy produced at end of life.
3. The third and final category covers the output and waste from the product. This includes whether materials can be recycled, and if electrical or thermal energy is generated and supplied to the net. Hazardous and non-hazardous waste is also declared.

Without providing this standardised list of environmental indicators across all EPDs, specifiers would not be able to make direct comparisons and  informed decisions around the sustainability of their construction projects.

The Benefits of EPDs for Architects and Specifiers

For professionals in the construction industry, EPDs offer numerous advantages:

1. Informed Decision-Making: EPDs provide the data needed to select products that align with sustainability goals and project requirements.
2. Compliance with Green Building Standards: EPDs contribute to achieving credits in green building rating systems, supporting certification efforts.
3. Risk Mitigation: By choosing products with verified environmental information, architects and specifiers can reduce the risk of greenwashing claims.
4. Client Satisfaction: The use of products with EPDs demonstrates a commitment to sustainability, meeting the expectations of environmentally conscious clients.
5. Competitive Advantage: Specifying products with EPDs can set projects apart in an increasingly sustainability-focused market.

Newton’s Commitment to Sustainable Innovation

Our dedication to sustainable construction goes beyond providing EPDs. We continuously strive to innovate and improve our products’ environmental performance. This commitment is reflected in our product development, where environmental factors are considered from the outset.

Our expanding range of EPDs is just one aspect of this sustainability strategy, which includes:

1. Recycling initiatives for packaging and product waste
2. Development of products with increased recycled content
3. Collaboration with suppliers to invest in energy-efficient manufacturing processes and reduce the environmental impact of our supply chain

By combining innovative waterproofing solutions with a strong focus on sustainability, we aim to be the preferred supplier for environmentally responsible construction projects.

The Future of Sustainable Waterproofing

Environmental Product Declarations represent a significant step forward in the construction industry’s journey towards sustainability. By providing transparent, verified information about the environmental impact of waterproofing products, EPDs enable architects, specifiers, and builders to make informed decisions that align with their sustainability goals.

Newton’s expanding range of EPD certificates, including those for Fibran XPS 500-C in our CDM cavity drain waterproofing system, and the membranes in the HydroBond external waterproofing system, demonstrates our commitment to sustainable construction practices.

As we continue to innovate and improve our products, EPDs will remain a crucial tool in communicating our environmental performance and supporting the industry’s shift towards more sustainable building practices.

Contact Newton Waterproofing today for expert guidance on selecting environmentally responsible waterproofing solutions backed by comprehensive EPDs. Our team of specialists is prepared to provide tailored advice and products that ensure the long-term success and sustainability of your construction projects.