environmental product declaration
ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATION LN: HEB-2006
CSR Building Products Ltd. Standard: GECA 8:2007- Environmentally Innovative Products Conformance Declaration Date: 2 n d July 2010
Environmental Assurance
Good Environmental Choice Australia Ltd
“ensuring accurate environmental testing and verification of conformance”
“setting Australia’s product environmental standards”
PO Box 215 Deakin West ACT 2600 +61 2 6281 5282 ph +61 2 6281 5581 fax www.eassurance.com.au
PO Box 4140 Weston, ACT Australia 2611 +61.2.6287.3100 ph +61.2.6287.3800 fax www.geca.org.au
Lic No- HEB-2006 / Issue Date: 30/08/2006 Recertification Date: 02/07/2010
EPD
© Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd Copyright 2008 - ABN 4611 876 7043
accurate simplified environmental performance information on Environmental Choice Australia Mark Certified Products
Simplifying Environmental Assessment
environmental solutions for sustainable markets in Australia
The Environmental Choice Australia Mark ecolabelling program is the national product life cycle environmental declaration based on internationally recognized standard setting and assessment methodology. The national program is managed by two distinct organisations: Good Environmental Choice Australia Ltd. is the standard setting and sustainable consumption market promotions body which develops and declares the ecolabelling standards defining product environmental preference in conformance to ISO 14 024 – International Standard for Third Party Environmental Labelling and Declaration (www.geca.org.au). GECA is an independent non-profit environmental research and ecolabeling standard setting organisation recognised as the Australian member of an international network of ecolabelling schemes under the Global Ecolabelling Network.
Environmental Assurance (Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd) (http://www.eassurance.com.au) is the auditing and verification body with responsibility for product assessment and verification of products against the declared standards (http://www.geca.org.au/StandardsRegister.htm) Environmental Assurance is the assessment body for this Program with expertise specific to quality product environmental performance auditing following the principles of ISO 14 010 and ISO 14 024 in its audit and verification services. Following an independent audit against the recognition requirements of the Australian Program this declaration outlines key environmental performance attributes of products that have been awarded the "Environmental Choice Australia" label for the Australian market. The Ecolabel is awarded to those products that meet or exceed voluntary standards of environmental performance. The objectives of the program are to: a)
Provide incentives for suppliers to reduce the environmental impacts of products sold in Australia;
b)
Provide a clear, credible and independent guide to consumers wishing to take account of environmental factors in their purchasing decisions;
c)
Encourage consumers to purchase products which have lower environmental impacts;
d)
Recognize genuine moves by companies to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of their products;
e)
Aim ultimately to improve the quality of the environment and to encourage the sustainable management of resources.
DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd (Environmental Assurance) in respect of a Client's assessment results for product conformity to the requirements of the respective Good Environmental Choice Australia Ltd (GECA) standard. The purpose of this public report is to present summary evidence and overview of the Client's product conformity with the standards or other criteria specified. The content of this report applies only to matters which were evident to Environmental Assurance at the time of the audit within the audit scope. Environmental Assurance does not warrant or otherwise comment upon the suitability of the contents of the report or the certificate for any particular purpose or use. Environmental Assurance accepts no liability whatsoever for consequences to, or actions taken by, third parties as a result of or in reliance upon information contained in this report.
Simplifying Environmental Assessment
ASSESSMENT FINDINGS
The range of autoclaved aerated concrete products manufactured by CSR Building Products Ltd. have been assessed against the GECA 8-2005-Environmentally Innovative Products Standard, and awarded the Environmental Choice Australia Eco-Label.
1. MANUFACTURER DESCRIPTION CSR Building Products Ltd. Contact:
Connie Roughsedge
Postal: Address: Phone: Fax: Web:
112 Wisemans Ferry, Rd, Somersby, NSW 2250 As above (02) 4340 3325 (02) 4340 3300 www.csr.com.au
E-mail:
[email protected]
CSR Limited (CSR) is one of Australia’s leading manufacturing companies with operations throughout Australia as well as in Asia and New Zealand. Originally founded in 1855 as a sugar company, CSR is one of Australia’s oldest companies, with a proven record of consistent returns and strong cash flows from its wellestablished continuing assets. CSR's revenues are approximately AUS$2 billion a year and the group companies employed approximately 5,900 people as of March 2005. The manufacturer is committed to minimizing environmental impacts adopting new sustainable business models and is continually re-evaluating its products and processes
Companies leading Australia’s environmental response at work.
Simplifying Environmental Assessment
2: REGISTERED PRODUCTS LN: HEB-2006
The following CSR Building Products Ltd. products have been awarded the Environmental Choice Australia Declaration: PRODUCT NAME Hebel Power Wall Internal Hebel Power Wall External Hebel Block
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Wall Products Wall Products Wall Products
Wall Products Precast reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) panels for construction of walls where load bearing is not required. Suitable for either vertical or horizontal applications
Products with a distinctive environmental edge.
(
3. KEY ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE FINDINGS The
key environmental performance criteria against which the CSR Building Products Ltd. Products were assessed, and the findings by Environmental Assurance, are provided below. Criterion
Core Environmental Performance Characteristics
Fitness for Purpose
The Hebel Power Wall Internal, Hebel Power Wall External and Hebel Block are all made from the Hebel Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC). AAC products have now been used widely in the Australian market for over a decade in a variety of applications. AAC has been accepted as a suitable and recognized building technology. The product has been assessed by CSIRO and found compliant to the building code of Australia standard, the products use in the market, physical characteristics and ongoing internal quality management system ensures a high level of product quality assurance for the market. The production process incorporates a wide spectrum of realtime production quality testing and suitable evidence was reviewed confirming this ongoing internal testing regime.
Environmental Load-Comparative Assessment
An assessment was undertaken as to the primary environmental loads during the in-use phase of key competing products. The Greenhouse Gas emissions contributing to global warming considered as the primary environmental impact category for cement and concrete products. A Greenhouse gas emissions comparative analysis was undertaken for embodied energy of the products as a basis of comparison. See Figure 1:- Production phase embodied energy
Comparative analysis Green House Gas emissions Power Wall Internal, Power Wall External and Hebel block
The AAC wall product with plasterboard covering significantly exceeds the GHG emissions per m2 of coverage in comparison to standard Timber Plasterboard walls (Refer figure 2). In assessing the overall GHG impacts of both internal and external wall products from manufacturing and in-use perspective the relative additional insulation value of the AAC wall product must however be considered. In comparison the insulation value of the Party wall assemblage exceeds a standard plasterboard internal wall assemblage by 0.83R value. As a percentage the improvement is in the order of 92%. The relative weighting of manufacturing GHG to in-use GHG has been taken as 10% to 90% for the purpose of this report over a 100year building life. The insulation benefits during the in-use phase therefore significantly outweigh the greater GHG emissions during the manufacturing phase of the wall product
Material Content
AAC Hebel products delivered by CSR Hebel do contain respirable crystalline silica (CAS No: 14808-60-7) at a level of between 0.1% and 1%. During the normal in-use phase the final user of the products i.e. the building occupants is not however exposed to a respirable form of crystalline silica. The silica is bound chemically to the overall concrete matrix. Due to the nature of the final product being a solid matrix of AAC it is not expected that users would be exposed to any notable levels of crystalline silica.
Coating labelling and other treatment
AAC is not impregnated or coated with any surface label or coating which would restrict further recycling of the final concrete product. Rejected product is readily recycled back into the production process.
Environmental Regulation Requirements
A number of environmental auditing consultant reports over recent years demonstrate a high level of cleaner production and environmental emission abatement review. The manufacturing site is obliged to report to the National Pollution Inventory, with all necessary reports lodged as required in the last 36 months. The manufacturing site is subject to an Environmental Protection Licence CSR Hebel is currently in compliance to the terms of this license.
Employee Legal Requirements
The company has a comprehensive range of policies aimed at ensuring suitable conditions and rates are awarded to employees
Simplifying Environmental Assessment
Fig 1:- Production phase embodied energy The comparison is on the basis of: _ 1 m3 of AAC and 1 m3 of Concrete/1m3 of unsupported Brick Veneer / 1m3 of reinforced concrete. (PowerWall-PowerPanel and Hebel Blocks)_ 1 m3 of AAC and 1m3 of Plasterboard internal wall. (PowerWall Partywall)
Quantifying key criteria for assurance to the market.
F U R T H E R I N F O R MA T I O N A detailed verification report is supplied to verified manufacturers regarding the findings of environmental characteristics of their products and evidence of compliance. The verification report can be made available at the sole discretion of the manufacturer. This EPD has been made available for green purchasing officers, specifiers, and every day Australians seeking to purchase products and services on the basis of functional and overall environmental and human health performance.
Contact Us: Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd T/A Environmental Assurance PO Box 215 Deakin West ACT 2600 [email protected] www.eassurance.com.au
F U R T H E R I N F O R MA T I O N ON THE WEB The Australian Ecolabel Program is the national environmental product life cycle labelling program for Australia. Further details of the Australian Ecolabel Program are available from www.eassurance.com.au and www.geca.org.au.
CSR Building Products Ltd. Standard: GECA 8:2007- Environmentally Innovative Products Conformance Declaration Date: 2 n d July 2010
Environmental Assurance
Good Environmental Choice Australia Ltd
“ensuring accurate environmental testing and verification of conformance”
“setting Australia’s product environmental standards”
PO Box 215 Deakin West ACT 2600 +61 2 6281 5282 ph +61 2 6281 5581 fax www.eassurance.com.au
PO Box 4140 Weston, ACT Australia 2611 +61.2.6287.3100 ph +61.2.6287.3800 fax www.geca.org.au
Lic No- HEB-2006 / Issue Date: 30/08/2006 Recertification Date: 02/07/2010
EPD
© Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd Copyright 2008 - ABN 4611 876 7043
accurate simplified environmental performance information on Environmental Choice Australia Mark Certified Products
Simplifying Environmental Assessment
environmental solutions for sustainable markets in Australia
The Environmental Choice Australia Mark ecolabelling program is the national product life cycle environmental declaration based on internationally recognized standard setting and assessment methodology. The national program is managed by two distinct organisations: Good Environmental Choice Australia Ltd. is the standard setting and sustainable consumption market promotions body which develops and declares the ecolabelling standards defining product environmental preference in conformance to ISO 14 024 – International Standard for Third Party Environmental Labelling and Declaration (www.geca.org.au). GECA is an independent non-profit environmental research and ecolabeling standard setting organisation recognised as the Australian member of an international network of ecolabelling schemes under the Global Ecolabelling Network.
Environmental Assurance (Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd) (http://www.eassurance.com.au) is the auditing and verification body with responsibility for product assessment and verification of products against the declared standards (http://www.geca.org.au/StandardsRegister.htm) Environmental Assurance is the assessment body for this Program with expertise specific to quality product environmental performance auditing following the principles of ISO 14 010 and ISO 14 024 in its audit and verification services. Following an independent audit against the recognition requirements of the Australian Program this declaration outlines key environmental performance attributes of products that have been awarded the "Environmental Choice Australia" label for the Australian market. The Ecolabel is awarded to those products that meet or exceed voluntary standards of environmental performance. The objectives of the program are to: a)
Provide incentives for suppliers to reduce the environmental impacts of products sold in Australia;
b)
Provide a clear, credible and independent guide to consumers wishing to take account of environmental factors in their purchasing decisions;
c)
Encourage consumers to purchase products which have lower environmental impacts;
d)
Recognize genuine moves by companies to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of their products;
e)
Aim ultimately to improve the quality of the environment and to encourage the sustainable management of resources.
DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd (Environmental Assurance) in respect of a Client's assessment results for product conformity to the requirements of the respective Good Environmental Choice Australia Ltd (GECA) standard. The purpose of this public report is to present summary evidence and overview of the Client's product conformity with the standards or other criteria specified. The content of this report applies only to matters which were evident to Environmental Assurance at the time of the audit within the audit scope. Environmental Assurance does not warrant or otherwise comment upon the suitability of the contents of the report or the certificate for any particular purpose or use. Environmental Assurance accepts no liability whatsoever for consequences to, or actions taken by, third parties as a result of or in reliance upon information contained in this report.
Simplifying Environmental Assessment
ASSESSMENT FINDINGS
The range of autoclaved aerated concrete products manufactured by CSR Building Products Ltd. have been assessed against the GECA 8-2005-Environmentally Innovative Products Standard, and awarded the Environmental Choice Australia Eco-Label.
1. MANUFACTURER DESCRIPTION CSR Building Products Ltd. Contact:
Connie Roughsedge
Postal: Address: Phone: Fax: Web:
112 Wisemans Ferry, Rd, Somersby, NSW 2250 As above (02) 4340 3325 (02) 4340 3300 www.csr.com.au
E-mail:
[email protected]
CSR Limited (CSR) is one of Australia’s leading manufacturing companies with operations throughout Australia as well as in Asia and New Zealand. Originally founded in 1855 as a sugar company, CSR is one of Australia’s oldest companies, with a proven record of consistent returns and strong cash flows from its wellestablished continuing assets. CSR's revenues are approximately AUS$2 billion a year and the group companies employed approximately 5,900 people as of March 2005. The manufacturer is committed to minimizing environmental impacts adopting new sustainable business models and is continually re-evaluating its products and processes
Companies leading Australia’s environmental response at work.
Simplifying Environmental Assessment
2: REGISTERED PRODUCTS LN: HEB-2006
The following CSR Building Products Ltd. products have been awarded the Environmental Choice Australia Declaration: PRODUCT NAME Hebel Power Wall Internal Hebel Power Wall External Hebel Block
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Wall Products Wall Products Wall Products
Wall Products Precast reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) panels for construction of walls where load bearing is not required. Suitable for either vertical or horizontal applications
Products with a distinctive environmental edge.
(
3. KEY ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE FINDINGS The
key environmental performance criteria against which the CSR Building Products Ltd. Products were assessed, and the findings by Environmental Assurance, are provided below. Criterion
Core Environmental Performance Characteristics
Fitness for Purpose
The Hebel Power Wall Internal, Hebel Power Wall External and Hebel Block are all made from the Hebel Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC). AAC products have now been used widely in the Australian market for over a decade in a variety of applications. AAC has been accepted as a suitable and recognized building technology. The product has been assessed by CSIRO and found compliant to the building code of Australia standard, the products use in the market, physical characteristics and ongoing internal quality management system ensures a high level of product quality assurance for the market. The production process incorporates a wide spectrum of realtime production quality testing and suitable evidence was reviewed confirming this ongoing internal testing regime.
Environmental Load-Comparative Assessment
An assessment was undertaken as to the primary environmental loads during the in-use phase of key competing products. The Greenhouse Gas emissions contributing to global warming considered as the primary environmental impact category for cement and concrete products. A Greenhouse gas emissions comparative analysis was undertaken for embodied energy of the products as a basis of comparison. See Figure 1:- Production phase embodied energy
Comparative analysis Green House Gas emissions Power Wall Internal, Power Wall External and Hebel block
The AAC wall product with plasterboard covering significantly exceeds the GHG emissions per m2 of coverage in comparison to standard Timber Plasterboard walls (Refer figure 2). In assessing the overall GHG impacts of both internal and external wall products from manufacturing and in-use perspective the relative additional insulation value of the AAC wall product must however be considered. In comparison the insulation value of the Party wall assemblage exceeds a standard plasterboard internal wall assemblage by 0.83R value. As a percentage the improvement is in the order of 92%. The relative weighting of manufacturing GHG to in-use GHG has been taken as 10% to 90% for the purpose of this report over a 100year building life. The insulation benefits during the in-use phase therefore significantly outweigh the greater GHG emissions during the manufacturing phase of the wall product
Material Content
AAC Hebel products delivered by CSR Hebel do contain respirable crystalline silica (CAS No: 14808-60-7) at a level of between 0.1% and 1%. During the normal in-use phase the final user of the products i.e. the building occupants is not however exposed to a respirable form of crystalline silica. The silica is bound chemically to the overall concrete matrix. Due to the nature of the final product being a solid matrix of AAC it is not expected that users would be exposed to any notable levels of crystalline silica.
Coating labelling and other treatment
AAC is not impregnated or coated with any surface label or coating which would restrict further recycling of the final concrete product. Rejected product is readily recycled back into the production process.
Environmental Regulation Requirements
A number of environmental auditing consultant reports over recent years demonstrate a high level of cleaner production and environmental emission abatement review. The manufacturing site is obliged to report to the National Pollution Inventory, with all necessary reports lodged as required in the last 36 months. The manufacturing site is subject to an Environmental Protection Licence CSR Hebel is currently in compliance to the terms of this license.
Employee Legal Requirements
The company has a comprehensive range of policies aimed at ensuring suitable conditions and rates are awarded to employees
Simplifying Environmental Assessment
Fig 1:- Production phase embodied energy The comparison is on the basis of: _ 1 m3 of AAC and 1 m3 of Concrete/1m3 of unsupported Brick Veneer / 1m3 of reinforced concrete. (PowerWall-PowerPanel and Hebel Blocks)_ 1 m3 of AAC and 1m3 of Plasterboard internal wall. (PowerWall Partywall)
Quantifying key criteria for assurance to the market.
F U R T H E R I N F O R MA T I O N A detailed verification report is supplied to verified manufacturers regarding the findings of environmental characteristics of their products and evidence of compliance. The verification report can be made available at the sole discretion of the manufacturer. This EPD has been made available for green purchasing officers, specifiers, and every day Australians seeking to purchase products and services on the basis of functional and overall environmental and human health performance.
Contact Us: Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd T/A Environmental Assurance PO Box 215 Deakin West ACT 2600 [email protected] www.eassurance.com.au
F U R T H E R I N F O R MA T I O N ON THE WEB The Australian Ecolabel Program is the national environmental product life cycle labelling program for Australia. Further details of the Australian Ecolabel Program are available from www.eassurance.com.au and www.geca.org.au.
