Successful cooperation between MAINCOR and SKZ
On behalf of and in close cooperation with MAINCOR Rohrsysteme, life cycle assessment experts from the SKZ Plastics Center have prepared environmental product declarations (EPDs) for three pipe products and published them with the IBU Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V.
Environmental product declarations published by SKZ for three pipe products from Maincor Rohrsysteme. (Photo: SKZ)
“The publication of the EPDs is an important milestone for us. They make the environmental impact of our products transparent and enable us to take responsibility. On this basis, we can take targeted measures to make our processes more sustainable and reduce our environmental impact,” explains Thomas Zeiler, Head of Technology at MAINCOR. “One concrete example is our recyclate-based PE-RT pipe 'RE-PIPE', which has already been successfully launched on the market.”
Environmental product declarations have become an indispensable tool for architects and planners in the construction industry. They provide clear and reliable information on the environmental impact of products throughout their entire life cycle and form the basis for holistic and ecological building planning. National and international building certification systems for sustainable construction such as the DGNB, BNB, LEED or BREEAM system are based on the information provided in EPDs. The basis for creating the EPD in accordance with ISO 14025 and EN 15804 was a comprehensive life cycle assessment in accordance with ISO 14040/44. The life cycle assessment considers all phases of the product life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials and energy, through production and use, to the recycling of the pipes at the end of their life cycle.
As part of the project, the SKZ accompanied and supported the MAINCOR Rohrsysteme employees in collecting the data. On the basis of the data obtained, the life cycle assessment experts at SKZ mapped the manufacturing process and the entire subsequent life cycle of the pipes in a software model. This was used to calculate the environmental impact in various impact categories, e.g. global warming potential (GWP). “This holistic approach is a central element and a major strength of EPDs,” reports SKZ employee and author of the life cycle assessment study Johannes Schwaiger.
The fulfillment of all requirements of the standards was finally checked by an independent expert as part of a mandatory verification. The EPDs have recently been made available on the IBU Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V. website. EPDs for construction products are increasingly required in tenders throughout Europe. By producing these declarations, MAINCOR secures access to the entire European market and meets the increasing demands of its customers.
