This page contains answers to commonly asked questions about LCA, EPD and ITB program.

Questions:

What is EPD?

What is PN EN 15804 standard?

Why to have EPD?

What products can have EPD?

How many producers have EPD in Poland?

Who is responsible for managing the national EPD Program for construction products?

Is ITB’s Program limited to construction products and materials in Poland?

Does ITB collaborate with other program operators?

Does ITB charge a fee to develop, review, and publish a PCR?

How are PCRs developed in ITB?

What happens if there is existing PCR published by another program operator?

Does ITB charge a fee verifying/accepting LCA/EPD of other European EPD operator?

Does ITB charge a fee for verifying LCA/EPDs?

How long EPD is valid?

How much does EPD cost?

How long it will take to obtain EPD?

Interested in EPD? What to do?

What about confidentiality of the producer data?

Interested in EPD? Need a contact or workshop?

Any other questions?

Answers:

What is EPD?

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration, type III) provides quantifiable environmental data to compare products that fulfill the same function. In order to create comparable EPDs, they must follow the same methodological rules (PN EN 15804) and guidelines called PCRs.

What is PN EN 15804 standard?

Standard PN-EN 15804+A2 provides the core rules for the creation of Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for building products and materials. ITB actively participated to the CEN TC 350 work (as a mirror group KT 307 of PKN) and translated this standard to polish language.

Why to have EPD?

It is one of the most recognizable ways to communicate product’s environmental performance. In the future this environmental information will be a part of the product performance declaration based on Reg. 305/11 (CPR-Construction Product Regulation).

What products can have EPD?

All construction products defined on the CPR basis (and all products to be used in the buildings, like electric, PV, furnitures....)

How many producers have EPD in Poland?

ITB registered beyond 350 EPDs and has new active EPD projects.

Who is responsible for managing the national EPD Program for construction products?

ITB is responsible for the national ITB-EPD Program, its scope and its procedures, including review, verification process and maintenance.

Is ITB’s Program limited to construction products and materials in Poland?

The scope of EPD Program is primarily Poland and Europe btw ITB can also create EPDs for other countries.

Does ITB collaborate with other program operators?

Yes, ITB works with other program operators (via ECO-PLATFORM, http://www.eco-platform.org/) to coordinate efforts to assist industry sectors while reducing duplication of effort.

Does ITB charge a fee to develop, review, and publish a PCR?

No, ITB does not charge any fees to develop, review, or publish PCR (for new product groups).

How are PCRs developed in ITB?

PCRs are developed through Technical Committee (TC). PCRs are directly based on PN EN 15804. Actual PCR of ITB is PCR-A ver. 1.6.

What happens if there is existing PCR published by another program operator?

ITB staff will research all relevant PCRs from other program operators before developing a PCR. Any existing, relevant PCR will be reviewed. If the existing PCR is acceptable then ITB will use that PCR for verifying EPDs. If the existing PCR is not acceptable then the TC will provide a rationale for why it is not acceptable in the new PCR.

Does ITB charge a fee verifying/accepting LCA/EPD of other European EPD operator?

This process is under discussion between ECO Platform members. ITB believes in the final recognition btw basic verification and translation will be required.

Does ITB charge a fee for verifying LCA/EPDs?

Yes, ITB charges a fee to verify a manufacturer’s EPD. For fee information please contact Michał Piasecki m.piasecki@itb.pl

How long EPD is valid?

5 years.

How much does EPD cost?

It depends on how complex is production process. A typical project cost (LCI/LCA/verification/registration) is 7000-8000EU.

How long it will take to obtain EPD?

The duration of the projects vary depending on process complexity, the number of sub-products, number of sites and input data involved. A typical project time is 3 months (one group of products/one factory).

Interested in EPD? What to do?

If producer is interested in EPD for his product then have to fill in the Contact Form (on page), which can be delivered also after contact with energia@itb.pl or Michal Piasecki m.piasecki@itb.pl. This will allow ITB to issue a formal EPD time and cost project proposal. On acceptance of the proposal of the quoted cost producer can be asked to sign agreement and then submit a more detailed LCI Data (special questionnaire) that will allow ITB to complete the LCA and further verification process

During the collecting inventory data process ITB will carry out the quality data audit to manufacturing site.

After successful process the report will be issued with EPD certificate signed by ITB director. At that point producer will then be permitted to use the ITB-EPD declaration in his commercial technical or promotional material. The certificate may be listed (on your request) on ITB web page.

What about confidentiality of the producer data?

LCA/EPD process is covered by confidentiality terms in agreement and the information producer provide in relation to the project is treated as confidential.

Interested in EPD? Need a contact or workshop?

Please contact us - energia@itb.pl. We are going to organize a workshop to answer all your questions.

Any other questions?

Please contact energia@itb.pl