Conscious choices, sustainable results

From BlackWhite magazine - issue 10, eco wise

Resene’s Environmental Product Declarations are here to help you make informed choices, with the planet in mind.

As concerns about the environment continue to grow, we are collectively facing an urgent need for more responsible and sustainable solutions across all industries. Architects, designers, builders and painters play a pivotal role in shaping the future of how we construct, develop, repurpose and decorate the structures in our built environments and are at the forefront of making transformative changes through specifications. By making thoughtful material selections, championing energy-efficient designs, committing to sustainable practices and helping to keep clients informed of the impacts of their decisions, we can help lead the charge to create buildings that not only meet the demands of modern living but also minimise environmental impact.

To help you specify paints, stains and coatings for your projects, 12 Resene Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have been developed to support you in making informed choices and ensuring your selections align with your environmental goals.

“Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity,” says Barbara Nebel, CEO of thinkstep-anz. “Think of an EPD as the sustainability equivalent of a nutrition label. It tells the full environmental story of a product, from raw material extraction to manufacturing, transport, use and end-of-life disposal. It’s science-based, independently verified and presented in a clear, standardised format.”

Resene’s collaboration with thinkstep-anz

Resene has long been committed to sustainability and their partnership with thinkstep-anz ensures their EPDs meet the highest standards. “We provided data collection templates and validated the information, our team conducted the LCA, calculated the environmental impacts and prepared a detailed background report. Next, we collaborated with an independent verifier to confirm compliance with international standards, then our designers worked closely with Resene to align the EPDs with their branding. We also managed the registration and publication process with EPD Australasia,” Barbara explains.

How EPDs are created

Every EPD is built on a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which calculates the environmental footprint of a product across its entire life cycle. There are strict rules and standards that need to be followed. But what does that really mean?

“The LCA examines everything from raw material sourcing to manufacturing, distribution, usage and disposal,” says Barbara. “The results are compiled into an EPD that clearly states what’s included, the standards it complies with, the name of the LCA expert and the name of the independent verifier who ensures its accuracy. The final EPD is published and made publicly available, offering complete transparency for architects, specifiers and sustainability professionals.”

“Architects and designers play a vital role in shaping the sustainability of the built environment,” Barbara says. “By integrating EPD data into your material selection and specification processes, you can make informed choices backed by verified environmental data, align your projects with green building standards and drive demand for more sustainable products in the construction industry.”

There are several ways you can use an EPD for your project – for carbon calculations, material or product selection and green building certifications. “If you, for example, wanted to calculate the carbon footprint of a project where you use Resene paint, you will find the information for the carbon footprint of the paint in an EPD. An EPD also includes general information about the process of making the paint, about Resene as a company and their environmental sustainability work. When selecting materials, EPDs provide key environmental indicators, including embodied energy, water consumption and waste generation. And if you are looking to secure green building certifications, many certification schemes – including Green Star and LEED – recognise EPDs as a valuable source of verified environmental data,” Barbara adds.

Understanding assumptions

As Barbara explains, the EPD Programme and ISO standards have prescriptive system boundaries, data quality and calculation methodologies. This means that some assumptions must be made when data is not available.

Some assumptions are related to end-of-life scenarios, as disposal practices can evolve and estimates are made based on current industry norms. Transport distances are another common assumption. Since raw materials generally come from multiple suppliers, transport distances are estimated using weighted averages. While LCA practitioners select high-quality datasets and follow strict EPD programme rules to ensure consistency and reliability, there can be variability in terms of data selection so assumptions might be made. However, Barbara says, “all those assumptions and the rationale for them are clearly stated in the EPD.”

Comparing EPDs between companies

When comparing EPDs between different companies or manufacturers, Barbara recommends using caution. “While EPDs provide a standardised format, they are only directly comparable if they belong to the same EPD programme. Different programmes may use slightly different rules, which can impact comparability. Always check the details before making direct comparisons,” she says.

Although EPDs can tell you what you need to know about the environmental data of a project over the course of its life cycle, it’s also important to note that it doesn’t necessarily tell you about the product’s performance. “An EPD does not provide information on the quality of the ingredients nor their ability to perform in its area of use,” says Resene Technical Manager Mike Clowes. “While it may look at the carbon footprint of the product from obtaining raw materials through manufacturing and transport to market, this is only part of the story. The longevity of the product once applied is a key driver in determining the benefit to the environment. If it fails to perform, then remedial treatment will be required, bringing further environmental impacts.”

Balancing sustainability and performance

Choosing a paint, stain or coating based on its environmental merits alone is only part of the equation. Making the most sustainable choice also hinges on choosing products that are the best at meeting the demands of the job at hand.

“The decision to select products with excellent EPD data is laudable but should not be done in isolation,” Mike says. “It would be easy for a paint formulator to choose pigments, resins and the other crucial ingredients from local sources to provide low global warming potential or ozone depletion. However, if the paint fades quickly or a coating fails, cracks and flakes due to the use of materials unsuitable for the environment in which it is applied then the ramifications are very significant. Removal of the existing system, preparation for the new system and repainting requires more materials and thus add quickly to the original impact.”

“By contrast,” Mike adds, “a product that is specifically designed to perform in the environment where it will be used – albeit with materials sourced from further afar – may perform for 10 years or more without any further impact on the environment. Therefore, it is important to seek performance information and avoid making decisions based on the environmental data alone.”

If you are unsure which product to choose based on the surface, substrate, how it will be used or the conditions it will be subjected to, get in touch with your Resene representative for project-specific recommendations or use the online Resene Ask a Paint Expert service and a Resene technical expert will assist you with advice.  For more information on EPDs and to view Resene EPDs, visit www.resene.com/epd.

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BlackWhite magazine

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