Defining 'Green':
Ecolabels, EPDs, LCAs and ISO standards

     

Contents

 

	Ecolabels - Type I labels to ISO 14024 and others There are a number of different types of 'ecolabel' - usually characterised by who defines them,  to what purpose and to what standard.
	Ecolabels in use in Europe  Labels originating within and outside of Europe are commonly used to denote certified standards. This is a list of some of the leading players that specifiers might encounter.
	Environmental Product Declarations - Type III labels to ISO 14025 EPDs are labels that disclose the essential environmental performance of products using pre-determined parameters. The development of EPDs  is set to increase exponentially.
	Product Category Rules (PCR) Product category rules ensure that EPDs make sense and are useful to their user-base.
	Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) With their recording and analysis of data, LCAs lay the essential foundations to understanding the environmental impacts of products and materials.
	Greenwash The widespread use of Greenwash by construction product manufacturers risks undermining the evolving market in environmentally preferable materials. Understanding its manifestations is an important step towards resisting its use.