25/01/2023 | DAP Habitat

EPD, Buildings and Energy!

The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), currently under revision and soon available to Member States, comprises the introduction of requirements on embodied energy and carbon footprint calculation for buildings. These calculation, obtained through a life cycle assessment study, are present in Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).

When aligned with LEED or BREEAM certification systems, EPDs also allow buildings to be better scored because they contain information on the embodied energy and carbon footprint of materials used in construction. This additional score acts as an incentive for designers and manufacturers. Furthermore, the rehabilitation of buildings and the current requirements for the decarbonisation of the building stock by 2050 make use of EPDs, as they inform the environmental performance of products used in construction. Thus, in this new dimension of sustainability of buildings, EPDs gain protagonism. 

As mentioned in the most recent edition of the magazine "Edifícios e Energia" (edition January/February 2023), in Portugal, the DAPHabitat System, an EPD registration system, guides Portuguese manufacturers to register this communication tool that provides the detailed environmental profile throughout the life cycle of their construction materials and construction processes.

On the other hand, Portuguese manufacturers can compare their products with European products of the same function and belonging to the same category. As a result, competitiveness and higher positioning in a sustainability-oriented market are stimulated.