Who is EPD Turkey?
EPD Turkey is the only registration institution in Turkey for registering internationally recognized ISO 14025- and EN 15804-compliant EPD documents. Run by the Turkish Centre for Sustainable Production Research and Design – SÜRATAM, EPD Turkey is a fully aligned regional programme of the Swedish-based International EPD® System.
What is EPD (Type III Environmental Declaration)?
An Environmental Product Declaration is the declaration of the performance of a product or service throughout its life cycle in relation to environmental parameters, as described according to ISO 14025. EPD certificates quantitatively assess and declare the environmental performance of a product on the basis of the parameters specified under the ISO 14040 series, and according to predetermined categories.
In the EPD certificate preparation process, the environmental data on the product should be collected from an LCA report. The EPD certificate also includes overall information about the product and the company. The EPD certificates are globally valid and used by all related companies and institutions.
What are Climate Declarations?
A Climate Declaration is a statement that focuses on the carbon footprint of the product. The emissions of greenhouse gases produced during various phases of the product life cycle are reported in kilograms of carbon dioxide (kg-CO2).
Climate Declarations can be published on the basis of a registered EPD certificate or upon request if full information on the other environmental impacts of the product are available. A Climate Declarations is a source of information on the single environmental impact of a declared product.
What is Life Cycle?
The time period that covers the consecutive and interconnected stages in a manufacturing system from the input of raw material or use of natural resources to the product’s disposal is called a life cycle. The stages of a life cycle include extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, use and creation of waste/recycling.
What is Life Cycle Thinking?
It is a concept that integrates the existing manufacturing and consumption strategies. Life cycle approaches help to prevent potential problems that may occur during transition from one stage of the life cycle to another, from one geographical region to another, or from one environmental medium (water, air, soil, etc.) to another.
What is Life Cycle Assessment?
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a compilation and assessment of the inputs, outputs and potential environmental impact of a product throughout the life cycle. LCA is a study that quantitatively assesses the environmental performance of a product or service on the basis of the parameters specified under ISO 14040 series and according to predetermined categories. In the scope of LCA studies, the assessment is performed in the light of various categories including product or service raw material output, energy use and efficiency, material and chemical substance content, emissions to air, water and soil, and creation of waste. LCA study is a comprehensive research of the potential impact of a product or service, including extraction of raw materials, transportation, manufacturing, use and waste production processes.
What is ISO 14025?
It is a set of internationally recognised standards that has been created to clarify the procedures to be prepared in order to develop and monitor new eco-labelling systems. Its purpose is to offer globally acknowledged standards for eco-labelling. ISO 14025:2006 stipulates how Type III environmental declaration programs can be developed as well as the specifications and principles of procedures for Type III environmental declarations. It ensures that ISO 14040-series standards are used, particularly in development of Type IISO 14025:2006 defines the principles for using environmental information. In addition to what is defined in the ISO 14020:2000 standard, it describes how Type III environmental declarations are undertaken for business-to-business applications, but it does not exactly define the conditions for business-to-consumer applications.
What is EN 15804?
The European Commission has developed the EN 15804 standard to create an equivalent application system across Europe and to harmonize the EPD systems to remove barriers to business. The requirement for an EPD certificate has been included in the renewed requirements for a CE mark in the European Directive on Construction Materials.
What is EN 16757?
EN 16757 is the standard for Product Category Rules for Concrete and Concrete Components.
What is ISO 14024 Type I Environment Label?
It is an environmental label used to promote environmentally friendly products. Labels are issued after ensuring compliance with pre-specified criteria, and the purpose is to create market advantage for environmentally preferable products. The EU Ecolabel, the Swedish White Swan and the German Blue Angel labels are described under the ISO 14024 Type I environmental labelling system.
What is ISO 14025 Type III Environment Label?
It is an environmental declaration that includes details of the product and its environmental impact. These declarations, which are called Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), are known as a labelling system that ensures the communication of the environmental impact of a product or system in accordance with the criteria defined in ISO 14025 and the standards in ISO 14040/44 series life cycle assessment.
What is ECO Platform?
ECO Platform, an entity that was established by Construction Products Europe to harmonize EPDs for construction products in compliance with EN 15804. Through harmonisation, ECO Platform also aims to prevent the creation of commercial barriers in construction materials across Europe by implementing EPD certificates. ECO Platform is an umbrella organisation for which only EPD Operators, LCA consultants and construction sector non-profit stakeholders can become a member.
What is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)?
LEED, which is a green building assessment system, is an independent certification program that provides voluntary specifications to develop high-performing, sustainable buildings. LEED is a program that has been designed by the US Green Buildings Council (USGBC), and issues certificates for buildings at various levels according to the assessment standards that are specified in five main categories. These categories are: sustainable development of the site, water saving, energy efficiency, selection of materials and environmental quality of indoor spaces. LEED standards are applicable to existing or renovated buildings as well as new buildings. They may also be applicable to residential or commercial buildings or towns. Architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape engineers and facility managers use the LEED when designing new projects.
What is a LEED Certificate for a product?
There is no such a thing. LEED is a certification system for sustainable building assessment that has been developed in the USA. It does not assess construction materials. However, products with proven sustainability bring extra points in LEED-certified projects. This can be achieved by EPD certificates issued for the products.
What is the BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)?
BREEAM is an environmental assessment method that is extensively used for buildings. BREEAM allows measurements to assess the performance of a building, considering various environmental factors including sustainable design, energy saving, quality of indoor spaces, protection of natural resources and reduction of waste. BREEAM holds training courses with the support of consultants to ensure environmentally sustainable design in new buildings and to facilitate their construction. It is an alternative system to LEED, and it has been created by the UK’s Building Research Establishment (BRE).
What is Eco-Label?
Eco-label is a symbol or logo that demonstrates the compliance of products, services or companies to environmental standards.
What is Ecologic Footprint?
It is the sum of the ecological impact of a person or organization in using soil, food, water and other resources, in order to maintain its existence. This impact is often expressed in the surface area of a productive land, in decares or hectares.
What is Green Building?
Green buildings are structures that are constructed according to the highest environmental standards by reducing use of energy, water and other natural resources.
What is MAS Certified Green® Label?
It is an environmental label that certifies the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by a product. This label is issued for indoor construction materials, painting materials, furniture, plasters, etc. and makes them preferable for use in green buildings.