Comparison of Concrete PCRs-Rev 1 This comparison of three Concrete PCRs: versions 1.0 and 1.1 of the Carbon Leadership Forum PCR and version 1.0 of the International EPD system PCR was prepared by K. Simonen of the Carbon Leadership Forum. These PCRs were developed in tandem in response to different stakeholder perspectives. This comparison has been developed in order to evaluate the differences and similarities and prepare for the possibility of aligning and ideally developing a unified PCR for the next version of both PCRs scheduled for revision in 2018. A summary of the key differences between the PCRs includes: 1. The International EPD PCR committee only included cement and concrete producers. The CLF committee had a slightly more diverse committee including architects and engineers (users of the material). 2. The two PCRs reference different standards. CEN15804 as a European Standard was objected to by US standards organizations and thus the CLF PCR V1.1 aligns with ISO 21930. 3. The International EPD PCR includes concrete products. The CLF PCR is only for ready mixed concrete. Thus PCRs for concrete products in North America may not necessarily be aligned with the PCR for ready mixed concrete. 4. They require the reporting of slightly different environmental impact categories, use different categorization methods and report different inventory items (using different units). 5. Although the wording to address key issues such as allocation, waste and land use change are different, the EPD results are not likely to be significantly different. This assumption should be evaluated after the development of more EPDs. NOTE: 08/2014 revision corrects issues related allocation & slag and fly ash within the Int. EPD PCR evaluation. CONTENTS Development pg. 2 Standards pg. 3 Life Cycle Stages pg. 4 Product Definition pg. 5 Impact Categories pg. 6 Inventory Items pg. 7 Data pg. 9 The PCRs can be accessed from the following links: CLF V1.0 http:///pcr-concrete-version-10.pdf CLF V1.1 http:///clf-pcr-v11-2013-12-04.pdf International EPD System V1.0 http://www.environdec.com/en/pcr/detail/?pcr=8108#.uzh0bhzfzva The cells of the comparison table has been color coded: KEY General Note Required Criteria Optional Criteria 1
DEVELOPMENT Sponsor CLF CLF CSI Organization EPD Program CLF CLF International EPD System (IES) Adoption CLF, NRMCA, GHG Protocol CLF, NRMCA, ASTM CSI, International EPD Used Argos, Central Concrete, Ceratch, Cemex. Holcim, Italcementi Hormigon Transex, Redi-Mix Concrete LCC, Titan Concrete. Finalized 11-30-2012 12-04-2013 02-12-2013 Expires 11-30-2017 12-04-2018 02-12-2018 EPD Validity 5 years 5 years 5 years Author PCR Committee/ K. Simonen CLF PCR committee/ K. Simonen Subgroup of WBCSD Cement Sustainability Initiative w/ J. Anderson of PE Committee Stakeholder consultation ISO PCR review panel Includes: Producers, trade organizations, engineers, LCA practitioners. Two rounds of open comment with over 500 comments-all publically responded to. Nicholas Santero (chair) PE International, Medgar Marceau & Holly Lahd Includes: Producers, trade organizations, engineers, LCA practitioners. Revision in response to ASTM EPD program request and user/epd verifier comments. All comments and responses posted publically. Nicholas Santero (chair) PE International, Medgar Marceau & Holly Lahd Clarifications None April 10, 2014 Regarding resource depletion and energy use. July 21, 2014 regarding energy data. International Included cement and concrete producers. Per International EPD System International EPD System Technical Committee http://environdec.co m/tc#.u81rtrbgczu None ISO Compliant Yes Yes Yes Region North America and other regions that use similar standards North America and other regions that use similar standards Global, however focused on EU context 2
STANDARDS ISO 9001 N/A N/A X ISO 14001 N/A N/A X ISO 14040 X X X ISO 14044 X X X ISO 14025 X X X ISO 14046 N/A Draft referenced N/A ISO 21930 Not compliant X X although referenced EN 15643-1 N/A N/A N/A EN 15643-2 N/A N/A N/A EN 15978 N/A N/A N/A EN 15804:2012 Not compliant Removed reference as X although referenced EU standard per request of ASTM. CEN/TR 15941 N/A N/A N/A EN 15942 N/A N/A N/A EN 15978 N/A N/A X GHG Protocol Detailed additional requirements. Built of GHG Mark/review by WRI GHG protocol moved to appendix. No longer has built on GHG Mark. N/A 3
LIFE CYCLE STAGES FROM EN15978 EN15804 A1-3 Product Stage Primary focus of PCR Primary focus of PCR Primary focus of PCR A4 Transportation Optional: guidance Optional: guidance Optional: guidance A5 Construction NIC NIC Optional: guidance B1-7 Use NIC NIC Optional: minimal guidance C1-4 End of Life NIC NIC Optional: minimal guidance D Supplementary NIC NIC Optional: minimal guidance NOTES Capital Goods/ Infrastructure (per PCR Guidance) Overproduction and material lost as well as washing of vehicles and equipment to be included in product stage A3. Overproduction and material lost as well as washing of vehicles and equipment to be included in product stage A4. Not required Not required Not required 4
PRODUCT DEFINITION Product Concrete Concrete Ready mixed concrete, concrete blocks (excluding aircrete), concrete kerbstones, mortar Definition Concrete is a composite material that consists of a binding medium (cement paste, hydraulic cement an water, and possibly on or more admixtures) embedded with fine aggregate (typically sand) and coarse aggregate (typically gravel) to form a hard solid mass. While the most widely used hydraulic cement is Portland cement, other hydraulic cements include blended cements and cementitious materials such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGFS). Pozzolans, both natural and artificial (e.g. fly ash and silica fume) are often used as a cementitious ingredient of concrete. Does not include reinforced concrete, including fibre cement. Material formed by mixing cement, coarse and fine aggregate and water, with or without the incorporation of admixtures or addition, which develops its properties by the hardening of the cement paste (cement and water). Functional Unit N/A N/A N/A Declared Unit 1m 3 1m 3 1m 3 concrete, 1 block, 1m 2 blockwork, 1m unreinforced pipe, 1m 3 concrete mortar. Permits other units if justified. (see 2.3.2 for more detail) User/Type Business-to-business Business-to-business Business-to-business Standards Defining EN 206-1:2001 Product ASTM C94, ASTM C90, CSA A23.1/A23.2 and/or UNSPC 30111500 ASTM C94, ASTM C90, CSA A23.1/A23.2 and/or UNSPC 30111500 Company Details Name & address Name & address Name & address Strength MPa(psi) MPa(psi) MPa Other criteria Exposure optional Exposure optional Exposure required Other criteria Slump optional Slump optional Slump optional Other characteristic that effects performance Optional list includes: Air entrainment, unit weight, high early strength etc. Optional list includes: Air entrainment, unit weight, high early strength etc. Optional list in 2.3.2 guidance includes: thermal resistance, thermal mass, acoustic performance etc. 5
IMPACT CATEGORIES GHG Emissions Climate Change/ Carbon Footprint (CML) Climate Change/ Carbon Footprint (CML) Global Warming IPCC/CML//BPIC kg CO 2 e kg CO 2 e kg CO 2 e Ozone Depletion (CML) (CML) CML//BPIC Acidification Eutrophication Photochemical Ozone Creation Depletion of abiotic resources, elements Depletion of abiotic resources, fossil fuels Ecotoxicity water, chronic Ecotoxicity water, acute Ecotoxicity soil, chronic Human toxicity, air Human Toxicity, water Human Toxicity, soil kg CFC11 e (Air) kg SO 2 e kg CFC11 e kg SO 2 e kg CFC11 e CML//BPIC (soil and water) mol H+ e/kg SO 2 e (air and water) kg N e (kg PO 4 e) (CML) kg N e (kg PO 4 e) CML//BPIC mol N equiv/kg PO 4 e CML//BPIC kg O 3 e kg O 3 e kg NMVOCe/ Ethane e CML See resource use CML-IA Kg Sb equiv CML See resource use CML-IA MJ, NCV 6
INVENTORY ITEMS Energy Note: Section 2.4.2 of the International EPD PCR references 2006 IPCC Guidelines 4 to convert between gross calorific value (GCV)/higher heating value (HHV) and net calorific value (NCV)/lower heating value (LHV). Carbon Secondary Fuels Total primary energy consumption Renewable energy consumption MJ (BTU) Non-renewable energy consumption MJ (BTU) Bio-mass energy consumption Carbon sequestered in product Energy from waste recovery Total primary energy consumption, MJ, GCV Use of renewable primary energy, MJ, GCV Use of renewable material resources, MJ, GCV Depletion of nonrenewable energy resources, MJ GCV Depletion of nonrenewable material resources, kg Particulate matter kg PM10e kg PM2.5e CO2 from biofuel combustion Carbon sequestered in product Energy from waste recovery Use of renewable primary energy excluding renewable primary resources used as raw materials, MJ NCV Use of renewable primary energy used as raw materials, MJ, NCV Total use of renewable energy resources, MJ, NCV Use of non-renewable primary energy resources excluding non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials, MJ, NCV Use of non-renewable primary energy resources used as raw materials, MJ, NCV Total use of nonrenewable primary energy resources (primary energy and primary energy resources used as raw materials), MJ, NCV May be reported as subsets of total GHG emissions. Use of renewable secondary fuels, MJ, NCV Use of non-renewable secondary fuels, MJ, NCV 7
Water Waste/material recovery Concrete water use (batch), m 3 Concrete water use (wash), m 3 Total water use m 3 Hazardous waste disposed Concrete batching water consumption, m 3 Concrete washing consumption, m 3 Total water consumption, m 3 Hazardous waste Non-hazardous waste Use of net fresh water, m 3 Hazardous waste disposed, kg Non-hazardous waste disposed, kg Total waste disposed Total waste disposed Radioactive waste disposed, kg Total waste recycled Total waste recycled Components for reuse, kg Materials for recycling, kg Materials for energy recovery, kg Exported energy, MJ per energy carrier Total waste used Total waste used Use of secondary material, kg Contents Chemicals of Concern Chemicals of Concern Content declaration including EU Chemical Agency Chemicals of Very High Concen list. 3.1e. Scenario Planning Not addressed Not addressed Guidance provided and typical output/units provided in section 3.3.3. 8
DATA Data Source US LCI/Marceau 2007 Section 3.5 prioritizes data type. Default values of CO2e provided Electricity Default LCI provided in appendix. Section 3.5 prioritizes data type. US EPA egrid regions. 3.4 US EPA egrid regions. 3.4 and Clarification 1 Most representative & best available data. See 2.4.3 and 2.4.4. National grid unless interconnected with regional grid or disconnected national grids. 2.6.1 Allocation Prescriptive Prescriptive Allocation per economic value. Fly ash/slag Considered waste. Only impacts from transportation and processing Considered waste. Only impacts from transportation and processing Allocation per economic value. However, note that the PCR for cement posted at the international EPD system (http://www.environd ec.com/en/pcr/detai l/?pcr=5942#.u-o_- 4BdWnJ ) states the following: For the following co-products used in cement production, in countries or regions where these are not considered a waste, economic allocation should be applied: blast furnace slag, fly ash, silica fume and artificial gypsum. (In Europe it has been shown that the contribution to the overall revenue of production of slag, fly ash and flue-gasdesulphurisation gypsum is currently very low in the order of 1% or less - and so the allocated 9
burdens can be neglected). End of Waste State Not addressed Not addressed Waste disposed reported and some guidance provided for what parameters to report if the end-oflife stage is included. Waste Fuel Biogenic Carbon Clarifies emission from waste fuels to be included in the EPD. Bio-mass energy consumption reported in MJ and Sequestered carbon both as optional additional information. Clarifies emission from waste fuels to be included in the EPD. Carbon emissions from bio fuel combustion reported as an =additional inventory item. Carbon sequestered in product can be reported in optional Significant guidance provided in 2.5.3.8 and 2.3.4.4. Tires are waste. Explicitly addressed in section 2.3.5.7. Provides guidance for bio-fuel and unsustainably harvested timber. information. Land Use Change Not addressed Not addressed Include when significant Some guidance provided. Guidance provided in 2.6.2 and 2.3.4.2. Reuse, recycling & recovery allocation Industry/Sector Average Variability Timeframe for accounting for inputs and outputs Not addressed Not addressed Not addressed Require to report range for average EPD (+XX% - YY%) Default variability included in default carbon footprint data Require to report range for average EPD (+XX% - YY%) Guidance for average EPDs for variation more than 5%. Report worst of group rather than average 100 years Per ASTM review to eliminate from main body. Moved to appendix related to product carbon footprint/wri. Wastage Included in A3. Default value provided Included in A3. Default value of 5% Mass weighted average of production required to report range of variation per 3.1j. 2.5.1 Characterizes significant variation as higher than 10%. 3.1j requires reporting of range/variability as +/-% or standard deviation. 100 years Included in A4. Minimal guidance. 10
can be over-ridden with plant specific data. provided can be overridden with plant specific data. Landfill Assumptions Not addressed Not addressed 100 years per 2.3.4.2 Cut Off Criteria 1% of energy or mass 1% of energy or mass 1% of energy or mass Reference Service Life not to exceed 5% total. not to exceed 5% total. not to exceed 5% total. Not addressed Not addressed Reference service life not required however some guidance provided. 11