Interview with Christian Donath, CEO Eco Platform

Eco Platform is the association that brings together the leading Program Operators in the construction industry, established with the aim of supporting the harmonization of European Environmental Product Declarations so that Epd’s related to the same product, validated by different operators, can be comparable with each other.

The Environmental Product Declarations – EPDs are the means for manufacturers to declare the environmental impacts of their products. It is very important for the market that EPDs are reliable and credible. What is the role of ECO Platform for granting the quality of data of the Program Operators members of the association?

It is important to understand that EPDs are owned by manufacturers, prepared by LCA experts and third-party verified by EPD Programme Operators (POs). This last step of independent data validation is essential for reliability of information. To ensure harmonized quality throughout different EPD Programmes, ECO Platform was established as an umbrella organization for EPD POs. At ECO Platform technical experts of the EPD POs and all related stakeholder groups define common rules for harmonization of quality EPD. All ECO EPD POs are committed to comply with these common ECO Platform Standards and get audited accordingly. All EPDs in compliance with ECO Platform rules are identified by the ECO EPD mark.

The market, for example some rating systems, and the legislation in some countries in Europe, like in Italy, are requiring the LCA calculation of the building or of the infrastructure. It is infact important the whole impact of the construction more than the single impacts of the components. The digitalization has a fundamental role for the building LCA calculation. What ECO Platform is doing about digitalization?

With upcoming regulation on environmental impacts, especially the Construction Product Regulation, taxonomy and building codes, an explosive increase of the demand for EPDs can be expected in the coming years. Building Rating Schemes and Building LCA Calculations need reliable digital data. Digitalization and automation is required to deliver the required data in short time, affordably and in sufficient quality. Our intention is to make sure that ECO EPD data is ready for use for all the different use-cases, no matter for which region, which regulation, which building LCA tool or rating scheme, manufacturers should only provide a single piece of reliable information: an ECO EPD. This makes data provision affordable.

1. 1. With ECO Platform we are contributing in several ways:
   2. By free provision of reliable digital data from all ECO EPD POs from a single data hub, the ECO Portal.
   3. By extending the current ECO Portal to integrate PCRs, global generic data and additional functions.
   4. By providing and enhancing requirements for digital data and verification of EPD tools.
   5. By efforts to further develop and align formats and data quality rules worldwide.
   6. By advising regulators and participating in relevant standardization activities.

The European Commission is developing methods, standards and rules for implementing the BWR 7 (Basic Requirements for Construction Works) “Sustainable use of natural resources” of the Construction Products Regulation – CPR 305/11. In the near future the CE Marking of the construction products will be integrated with the environmental impact data. How ECO Platform is involved in this process and what is its contribution?

To be precise: The environmental information is part of BWR7 in the current CPR, while it expected to be shifted to a new BWR8 section in the revision. However, for the so-called CPR Acquis, which is a transition process by integrating the future requirements for the revised CPR already into the existing CPR, ECO Platform is participating in a horizontal working group of the European Commission. As ECO Platform offers a large network of technical experts, while not representing a particular interest group, the contribution of ECO Platform is valued as objective, scientifically sound and based on experience in market implementation. ECO Platform is contributing with general positions and concrete technical proposals, which are developed by our Working Groups that are open to all ECO Platform members from EPD POs, manufacturers or trade associations, LCA experts, Software providers or other stakeholders.