Outokumpu has released EPDs for its main products used in the construction industry. The EPDs not only indicate the exceptional sustainability performance of Outokumpu stainless steels, but also contribute to the establishment of ever more sustainable building.
New building projects – and renovations – are increasingly being assessed for their sustainability. This has led to a situation where manufacturers of building components and materials must increasingly provide information about the functional and environmental performance of their products. The environmental performance is increasingly indicated by the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which forms the basis for an internationally aligned system for calculating sustainability performance over the entire building lifecycle.
Outokumpu has issued two EPDs for stainless steel for construction. One is for hot rolled and one for cold rolled stainless steel. The data is based on a representative mix of the production of five plants from all parts of Europe during 2010. The EPDs were issued by the European Construction Products Organisation (ECO) and are valid for a period of five years.
The EPD includes statements on the use of energy and resources and to what extent a product contributes to the greenhouse effect, acidification, eutrophication, destruction of the ozone layer and smog formation.
Many factors make Outokumpu stainless steels an inherently sustainable material for construction. Stainless steel, for example, is durable, 100% recyclable, hygienic and does not release volatile organic compounds in indoor air. Outokumpu stainless steels have a recycled content of typically 85-90%, which is much higher than the industry average of 60%, and the carbon footprint of Outokumpu austenitic steels is today almost 40% smaller than it was in the 1990s.
The EPD is a key component in the establishment of a uniform global system for assessing the lifecycle of buildings. The system aims to establish a framework whereby all factors affecting the sustainability performance of a building can be aggregated throughout the building lifecycle – paving the way for the design and construction of ever more sustainable buildings. The expectation is that the incorporation of EPDs in building planning as well as in invitations to submit tenders will become standard practice in the future.
In addition to the EPDs, Outokumpu has also issued factsheets on other key sustainable building assessment systems. The factsheets cover the North American/Indian system LEED, the German DGNB, and BREEAM in UK.
Click on the image below to download the declaration as PDF.
|
ECO EPD for cold rolled
stainless steel |
|
ECO EPD for hot rolled
stainless steel |
For more information, please contact:
Camilla Kaplin
Manager, Product Stewardship Environment, Health and Safety
Tel: +46 (0)16 349 189
Email. camilla.kaplin(at)outokumpu.com