Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge

In this whitepaper, we guide practitioners on how to cut through the greenwash to make better specification decisions that will lower the embodied carbon footprint of their next project.

Cutting Through the Greenwash to Make Better Specification Decisions

Styling by Zephyr + Stone. Photography by HIVISUALS

INTRODUCTION

By 2050, all CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in the built environment must be eliminated globally to allow us to stay below 2ºC warming above pre- industrial levels. 1 Traditionally, the focus in the design and construction industry has been on reducing operational carbon emissions through passive design and optimising energy efficiency. However, lowering embodied carbon is a vital step in meeting global emissions reduction targets as they occur before a building is put to use and therefore can never be recovered during the life of the building. When it comes to reducing embodied carbon, we often concentrate on the building envelope and structure. However, interior design is just as, if not more, important. The carbon footprint of a building’s interiors over the course of its life will be equal to and often greater than that of the building’s construction. 2 Interiors can change fairly frequently, thus accounting for more embodied emissions over time, but the structure and envelope are only ever built once. 3 The carbon footprint of an interior design or project includes all of the products incorporated therein. Design and construction professionals must know how to validate claims made about embodied carbon and other environmental factors in building products and materials as the industry shifts toward sustainable design and construction practices. In this whitepaper, we guide practitioners on how to cut through the greenwash to make better specification decisions that will lower the embodied carbon footprint of their next project.

“Lowering embodied carbon is a vital step in meeting global emissions reduction targets as they occur before a building is put to use and therefore can never be recovered during the life of the building.”

OPERATIONAL VS. EMBODIED CARBON

Emissions from construction (embodied carbon) and operation make up the majority of a building’s life cycle emissions. Planning and designing greener buildings requires an understanding of the distinction between embodied and operational carbon. Embodied carbon is the carbon that is released in the production of all the materials used in the initial construction, the production of all the materials used in repairs or renovations over the life of the building, the transport of materials to the site and the construction, repair and renovation of the building. Operational carbon, on the other hand, is carbon that is released during the ongoing operation of the building. Lighting, power, heating, ventilation, air conditioning,

and other services like lifts and automatic doors are just a few examples of the sources of operational carbon emissions. There is growing concern that embodied impacts will become the primary source of global emissions. One result of efforts to reduce operational emissions is an increase in the proportion of embodied impacts over a building’s life cycle, which causes environmental pressures to shift from one stage to the next. Embodied emissions can account for more than 50% and as much as 74-100% of a building’s life cycle carbon emissions, depending on the structural types and functions of the building, the geographic location and climate, the construction methods used, and other factors. 4

“Owners and tenants are looking for greater visibility and influence over decarbonisation and waste reduction across their portfolios.”

CARBON WASHING IS THE NEW GREENWASHING

As embodied carbon has come under the spotlight, more suppliers and manufacturers have started to make dubious claims about how they are addressing the problem. Terms like “biodegradable”, “compostable” and “circular” have been replaced by phrases like “climate neutral”, “carbon negative”, “net-zero” and “offsetting”. When it comes to design and product specification, the issue with such terms is that they are often imprecise or inaccurate. See below for examples: • It is widely understood that “net-zero” means that there are no net contributions to atmospheric carbon across the entire life cycle of a product, but there is no officially agreed definition of net-zero. • “Low carbon” claims are often ambiguous. It could imply “lower carbon” than other similar goods or services, or customers could even interpret it to mean “carbon neutral” in some cases. • Claims of “carbon neutrality” are often based on inaccurate or unsubstantiated claims about life cycle carbon impacts. Manufacturers claiming that a product is carbon neutral may not necessarily be offering a better, longer lasting product.

• “Offsetting” is an often misused term. Reducing embodied carbon emissions is difficult, but carbon offsetting should be a last resort when no further manufacturing improvements can be made. Claims about “recycled content” should also be carefully scrutinised. Recycled content can be composed of two types of materials: post-consumer and post-industrial materials. Post-consumer material is made from goods that have been used by consumers but are then disposed of in recycling bins or solid waste streams. Post-industrial materials are leftover products from manufacturing processes or reclaimed waste that never made it to the consumer. When an existing product has served its purpose and is reused as the basis for a new product, less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, and there is less pressure on our finite natural resources and raw materials. Post-industrial materials, by definition, did not reach the consumer, so when they are used to make a building product, it is merely adding new materials to the loop.

Styling by Zephyr + Stone. Photography by HIVISUALS

ACTIVE STEPS TO AVOID GREENWASHING

Greenwashing may seem like a simple black and white issue, but it’s more complex than that, especially given the stakes involved. Owners and tenants are looking for greater visibility and influence over decarbonisation and waste reduction across their portfolios. Accordingly, there is more pressure than ever to ensure new buildings and infrastructure adhere to high sustainability and environmental standards. Below are some steps designers and specifiers can take to avoid the lure of greenwashing claims. • Understand the terms used to describe sustainability and keep up with any relevant legislation, codes and standards that govern how they are defined. • Identify hidden trade-offs. Companies offering “eco- friendly” products may be doing so based on a narrow

set of attributes without considering other important environmental factors. Those making claims about “carbon offsetting”, for example, may not be taking action to improve the sustainability of their manufacturing operations as a whole. • Any environmental claim should be supported by credible documentation. For example, when assessing “recycled content” claims, seek clarification from the manufacturer about their recycling supply chain and what materials are included in the product. • Identify internationally recognised, third-party certifications. These would include LEED, BREEAM, Green Star, ISO (International Standards Organisation), 3rd Party certified eco-labels, Environmental Product Declarations (full life cycle analysis documentation), and more.

TRANSPARENCY AND THIRD-PARTY VERIFICATION

It is easy to understand why greenwashing or carbon washing occurs since consumers want sustainable products more than ever. However, specifying products that do not live up to environmental claims will not only reflect poorly on the manufacturer but also on the designer or specifier who selected that product. Transparency and third-party verification are necessary to combat greenwashing. They address the need to accurately describe both positive and negative aspects of a product so that its environmental performance can be compared to other similar products. In the field of design and construction, one of the most useful tools in this regard are Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). An EPD is a statement that analyses a product’s life cycle to show environmental data about the product and to allow for competitor evaluation. It includes data from all product life cycle stages, from sourcing raw materials to manufacturing, throughout its use and beyond, covering recycling and final disposal. Green Star, LEED, BREAM and several other sustainable building rating schemes recognise EPDs when awarding credits for green buildings. EPDs are developed based on the requirements of ISO 14025 (Environmental labels and declarations – Type III environmental declarations) or EN 15804 for construction products. Every EPD is based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is completed by a third-party provider in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.

By adopting EPDs, manufacturers can show they are leading on environmental issues. To assist them in getting ISO-compliant eco-labels and EPDs for their products, they work with certified 3rd party organisations and verify through the International ECO EPD Programmes. Under the International EPD System, all EPD documents should be fully verified and made available to the general public. Revised EN 15804+A2 for EPDs for construction products In 2019, EN 15804 +A2, an updated version of the EN 15804 standard, was released. From 2022, all new EPDs must comply with the +A2 standard. Note that there are still EPDs for building products on the old EN 15804 standard, which should now be on the updated standard. The updated EN15804 requires a more thorough and in-depth EPD that will assist designers and specifiers better understand the environmental performance and impact of products. The +A2 standard now considers Global Warming Potential under three impact categories: Climate Change Fossil, Climate Change Biogenic Removal and Emissions, and Climate Change Land Use and Land Use Change. There is also a greater emphasis on the impact on human health, as well as the benefits of end-of-life recycling.

Styling by Zephyr + Stone. Photography by HIVISUALS

Specify Responsibly with ForestOne

In line with their Specify Responsibly stance, ForestOne sees responsible material specification as an important element of sustainable design and construction. As the largest independent and Australian-owned distributor of wood panels, timber and decorative surface products in Australia, the company encourages specifiers to minimise their environmental impact by reducing reliance on natural resources, avoiding materials with high embodied carbon, or simply creating less waste. ForestOne sources and distributes products that display environmental, social and financial sustainability, equipping architects and designers with the information and materials they need to Specify Responsibly. Responsible specification is one way to face the embodied carbon challenge. This means, for example, using materials with a low carbon footprint and a considerable amount of recycled content, avoiding materials that may have been produced through unethical practices, and ensuring materials do not pose a threat to human health and wellbeing. ForestOne’s EGGER bespoke product range of decorative surface products can help designers and specifiers build sustainably. Not only do the EGGER decors appeal to the eye with their hyper-realistic wood grain that replicates the look and feel of veneer or timber, but EGGER are well known for their sustainable and innovative approach. Depending on the products chosen, the products range from negative to low carbon footprint. For example, the EGGER Eurodekor ® panel has a -13.8 kg CO2/m2 carbon footprint and the EGGER laminate has a low carbon footprint of +2.03 kg CO2/m 2 . The EGGER sheet size of 2800 x 2070mm allows for greater design optimisation, especially for full-height joinery (floor to ceiling) as it eliminates the need for a split joinery design. The width of the panel at 2070mm allows the design to make full use of the drawer width at 1000mm, minimising waste to landfill. The EGGER Eurodekor ® chipboard contains 65% recycled content – 45% post-industrial and 23% post-consumer – granting a circular economy at the manufacturing point. Alongside its sustainable building products, ForestOne is undertaking a range of initiatives to be more responsible in the way it operates its business. This includes the execution of environmentally mindful practices, such as using hybrid cars and delivery trucks, LED lighting, solar panels and even using 100% recyclable packaging.

REFERENCES 1 Architecture2030. “The 2030 Challenge for Embodied Carbon.” Architecture 2030. https://architecture2030.org/2030_challenges/embodied (accessed 25 October 2023). 2 Rajagopal, Avinash. “Why Interior Designers Must Fight Climate Change.” Metropolis. https://metropolismag.com/viewpoints/interior-designers-climate-carbon (accessed 25 October 2023). 3 Penny, Janelle. “What Is the Carbon Footprint of Interior Renovations?” Buildings. https://www.buildings.com/architecture/interiors/article/10196145/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-interior-renovations (accessed 25 October 2023). 4 Trinh, TMKH and JH Doh. “Building’s Life Cycle Embodied Carbon Emissions Assessments: A Review.” Griffith University. https://www.griffith.edu.au/cities-research-institute/news-and-events/seminars-and-events/2018-joint-apnhr-and-ahrc-conference (accessed 25 October 2023).

All information provided correct as of November 2023

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