TY - GEN

T1 - Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) of James Latham Accoya® Cladding uncoated

AU - Roberts, George

AU - Skinner, Campbell

N1 - James Latham’s is one of the UK’ largest wholesalers of timber, wood-based panels and decorative surfaces, supplying to construction merchants and contractors, builders, designers, furniture makers etc. Lathams cladding is manufactured in-house at one of their sites in the UK. Modified Accoya® wood (pine) produced by Accsys is used as the primary material, where the wood is then cut and sanded to the desired shape. The product is then packaged and ready for distribution. This cladding is durable, dimensionally stable with the performance characteristics of the most durable tropical hardwoods using a softwood alternative. Initially a Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted for two cladding products which entailed a site visit to collect primary data. Working with Lathams and Dresser Mouldings the necessary data was collected and then used to develop the LCA and write up a detailed report of the study. The next stage of the project was to transfer the results from the LCA into an EPD. An EPD is a verified and registered document that summarises the life-cycle environmental impacts associated with the production and use of a product or service. The main objective of an EPD is to communicate standardized LCA information that is meaningful to people who are not familiar with LCA. Along with providing consumers a science-based disclosure of a product’s environmental performance, an EPD can counter ‘green-washing’. EPDs are verified by a third party and follow strict European standards such as EN 15804+A2: 2019, as well as a number of Product Category Rules (PCRs). This step of the process required cooperating with a third party verifier and making sure the EPD met the specific criteria in order for it to be accepted. This stage of the project took some time as it was a new area for the LCA team as well as the European standards and PCRs having updates part way through the process. However, once the report and EPD met the criteria and the EPD verifier was happy, the James Latham Accoya® Cladding uncoated EPD was verified and publicly published.

PY - 2024/4/30

Y1 - 2024/4/30

N2 - This Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) evaluates the environmental impact of Lathams uncoated Accoya cladding from a cradle-to-gate perspective, covering raw material extraction, transportation, manufacturing, and packaging. The study follows the EN 15804: 2012 + A2: 2019 and PCR 2019:14 v1.3.3 standards to ensure consistency and comparability with other Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). The assessment incorporates primary production data from Lathams and accounts for resource use, waste generation, and energy consumption throughout the manufacturing process.The findings indicate that the production of 1m² of uncoated Accoya cladding results in 20.23 kg of CO₂e emissions, which is significantly reduced to 6.65 kg CO₂e when biogenic carbon uptake is factored in. The primary environmental hotspot is the Accoya wood itself due to the material requirements and the associated waste generated during processing. While transportation and energy use contribute to the overall impact, they play a relatively minor role in comparison. The analysis highlights that optimising material efficiency and reducing wood waste during production would have the greatest potential for minimising the product’s environmental footprint. These insights provide valuable information for customers and stakeholders seeking sustainable cladding solutions.

AB - This Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) evaluates the environmental impact of Lathams uncoated Accoya cladding from a cradle-to-gate perspective, covering raw material extraction, transportation, manufacturing, and packaging. The study follows the EN 15804: 2012 + A2: 2019 and PCR 2019:14 v1.3.3 standards to ensure consistency and comparability with other Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). The assessment incorporates primary production data from Lathams and accounts for resource use, waste generation, and energy consumption throughout the manufacturing process.The findings indicate that the production of 1m² of uncoated Accoya cladding results in 20.23 kg of CO₂e emissions, which is significantly reduced to 6.65 kg CO₂e when biogenic carbon uptake is factored in. The primary environmental hotspot is the Accoya wood itself due to the material requirements and the associated waste generated during processing. While transportation and energy use contribute to the overall impact, they play a relatively minor role in comparison. The analysis highlights that optimising material efficiency and reducing wood waste during production would have the greatest potential for minimising the product’s environmental footprint. These insights provide valuable information for customers and stakeholders seeking sustainable cladding solutions.

KW - Environmental Product Declaration

KW - life cycle assessment

KW - LCA

KW - EPD

UR - https://environdec.com/library/epd13617

M3 - Other contribution

PB - The International EPD System (IES)

ER -