Understanding the Carbon Footprint Pyramid for EQUITONE Materials

We have captured a few below which will help clarify the intent of the pyramid:  

 

How should I read this pyramid?  

The pyramid gives a quick overview of the carbon footprint associated to the product stage of a material group. It reflects the embedded carbon of the produced product when it leaves the factory (cradle to gate).

 

What does the “Cradle to Gate” scope refer to?  

It refers to the carbon impacts assessment of a partial product life cycle including the extraction of the raw materials, their transport to the factory and the manufacturing of the product. This allows for a comparison on a like for like basis in the sense that the carbon footprint of the base material is reflected. 

 

What does the “Cradle to Gate” approach mean for my project? 

In Cradle to Gate, other product lifecycle stages besides the product stage (construction, use and end of life stage) are not considered. Those life cycle stages are obviously also important to consider but introduce more variability as different scenarios may be considered which can make comparisons more complex. 

We recommend consideration on a case by case basis. In line with this idea, EQUITONE also declares information for those life stages in the “Cradle to Grave” EPD which does include other product lifecycle stages besides the product stage. Relevant details can be found in the EPD which are publicly available. 

 

How should I understand the full environmental footprint of the materials?  

The pyramid focuses on the carbon footprint of the materials. The carbon footprint corresponds with the Global Warming Potential which is referred to in the EPD. Often, the carbon footprint is requested by investors and architects. Obviously, the environmental footprint also has other dimensions such as effects on the ozone layer, acidification potential etc.. Those values are available in the EQUITONE EPDs which are publicly available.  

 

What should I consider when reviewing the carbon footprint for EQUITONE?  

Note that the pyramid provides guidance values for various material categories, one of which is fiber cement. It does not differentiate the various materials or brands within the category. For each of the EQUITONE materials, specific data from the EPD is available in the Material Sustainability Datasheet (MSD). To facilitate comparison, we have also included in the MSD a “cradle to gate” carbon footprint value declaration.