The Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) represent a standardised way of quantifying the impact of a product or service on the natural environment throughout its lifecycle. Launched at the 2015 DesignBUILD expo by the Australian Life Cycle Assessment Society (ALCAS) and the Life Cycle Association of New Zealand (LCANZ), the new Australasian EPD Program aims to ensure that the region meets global market demand for science-based, objective and transparent standards in sustainability.
Considered the present and future of green building in Australia, the Australasian Environmental Product Declarations are particularly relevant to architects, engineers and decision-makers in the construction industry and will cover everything from raw material acquisition and renewability, and content of materials and chemicals used, to water and air pollution, energy use and efficiency, and waste generation. The launch of the Australasian Environmental Product Declarations Program is aligned with the rising demand for environmentally ethical practices in the Australian construction industry.
The new Australasian EPD Program will create quality benchmarks for the environmental performance of goods and services, consistent with the best practice standards set by the international EPD system, thereby introducing more transparency in the materials and products used by the building industry.
The EPD Program will enable designers, owners, contractors and other stakeholders to make educated decisions about the materials, equipment and practices that will achieve resource efficiency and sustainability. This will help the building and design industry uphold quality construction practices that reflect consumer demand for sustainability, as well as create healthier environments for people.
By aligning the Australian system with international best practice standards, the EDP program will enable the Australian market to compete and provide sustainable and eco-friendly products at the global level.
The introduction of the Australasian EPD Program allows Cedar Sales to reinforce their already strong commitment to supplying the construction industry with quality eco-friendly products that stand the test of time.
Cedar Sales’ Western Red Cedar already has Chain of Custody FSC Certification and PEFC Certification while all of their Western Red Cedar products have received the prestigious GreenTagCert GreenRate Level A Certification.
