The BHoM EPD

The Environmental Product Declaration

The LifeCycleAssessment_Toolkit functions primarily as a suite of evaluation methods that work with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). We've already taken a look at the dataset and how to create one. And you may have even skipped ahead to see how to map EPDs to your BHoM objects. In this section, let's make the connection between datasets and EPDs abundantly clear. When you create a dataset node or container, you are actually accessing Environmental Product Declarations that have been saved within the BHoM as materials that can be applied to BHoM objects.

In this section, we will look first at the creation of an EPD, all of the needed components, as well as some additional fragments that can be used to add even more specificity to your EPDs. This is primarily to help get you more comfortable with the EPD's object schema, but we also encourage you to create your own EPD datasets and share them with everyone!

Create a New EPD

Let's take a look at the Grasshopper canvas and how we would make a new EPD from scratch using BHoM components. Keep in mind that the BHoM UI is very minimal, so it is recommended that you rely on Intellisense when building these objects rather than searching for each individual item needed. This can be done by simply clicking and dragging the node's input and releasing to see available options. The tool will recommend all suitable matches for you.

You'll notice a couple of things as we start. The core EnvironmentalProductDeclaration object consists of 4 important input properties; Type, Environmental Metrics, Quantity Type and Name. In order to create an EPD, we need to provide all of this information. Starting at the top:

• Type: Your options are Product or Sector. Product EPDs are typically produced by manufacturers where sector EPDs are amalgam EPD-like values produced by organisations like NRMCA (National Ready Mix Concrete Association).

• EnvironmentalMetrics: This is really how the evaluations take place within the toolkit. The metrics themselves house the impact metrics, quantities, and phase information needed for assessment. All Environmental Metrics are based on EN-15804-A2 they include:

  • AbioticDepletionFossilResources
  • AbioticDepletionMineralsAndMetals
  • Acidification
  • ClimateChangeBiogenic
  • ClimateChangeFossil
  • ClimateChangeLandUse
  • ClimateChangeTotal (previously GlobalWarmingPotential per EN-15804-A1)
  • ClimateChangeTotalNoBiogenic
  • EutrophicationAquaticFreshwater
  • EutrophicationAquaticMarine
  • EutrophicationCML
  • EutrophicationTerrestrial
  • EutrophicationTRACI
  • OzoneDepletion
  • PhotochemicalOzoneCreationCML
  • PhotochemicalOzoneCreation
  • PhotochemicalOzoneCreationTRACI
  • WaterDeprivation

• QuantityType: There are several to choose from (mass, area, volume, length, etc.) Based on the origin of your EPD, you may need to convert the declared unit (QuantityType) to SI (e.g. meters rather than millimeters).

• Name: The name of your Environmental Product Declaration

This is an example of a typical Product EPD with individual LCA Phases:

We have also provided Environmental Metric options with combined A1-A3 stages:

Now you give it a try!

Excel more your speed? Let's give it a shot!

Evaluate any dataset by using Explode

Say you wanted to simply use a dataset that already existed and you wanted to explore the different property values. Here's an example of how you can look through the data on any LCA dataset object.

Now that you know the basics behind the creation of the EPD, you're ready to prepare your objects for evaluation by learning how to map EPDs. Then you can move forward to evaluate your object's metrics or compile your LCA.