Efficient use of digital EPD via ILCD+EPD+
The Project Smart Built Environment (SBE) Lifecycle Perspective develops support, implements and evaluates how a future digital environmental calculation for a construction work can be made as efficiently as possible. The future life cycle assessment (LCA) calculation is assumed to be made as part of the ICT tool already used in the construction or real estate sector for other purposes, as an additional environmental performance based information. An LCA makes it possible to calculate the environmental impact during the entire life cycle of any construction product or works.
This report focus on how Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) can be digitalised in a machine-readable format to facilitate unbroken information value chain from the product manufacturer, to the program operator publishing the EPD, the buyer of the product and construction product as part of any construction works, and finally as part of a digital model of the same construction works – like a digital twin. The de facto xml format specification for a digital LCA or EPD result for a construction product is based on a European format, ILCD, originally designed for exchange of life cycle inventory data between different LCA application tools.
This report describes the possibilities to add additional information, not necessary included in the ‘graphical’ pdf version of the EPD, but in the machine-readable format referred to as ILCD+EPD+. The extra plus “+” indicates that the format includes additional information in order to facilitate its use as a digital information source. The report includes an example on how the generic format with the potential extension format can be implemented as defined by the project Smart Build Environment (SBE) Lifecycle Perspective. The suggested aspects to be included in an SBE extension are called ILCD+EPD+SBE.