Aluminum Association Releases Updated Environmental Product Declarations for Main Aluminum Product Types
Updated Environmental “Nutrition Labels” for the Metal Show Environmental Impact Improvements
Today, the Aluminum Association released updated environmental product declarations (EPDs) that show reductions on the environmental impact of aluminum product types including primary aluminum ingot, recycled aluminum ingot, aluminum extrusion products and aluminum sheet products. An EPD is a comprehensive, internationally harmonized report that describes the potential environmental impact of a particular product through its life cycle. EPDs are widely used in the building and construction industry to help companies make decisions on which products to use in their projects.
“Aluminum produced in North America is more sustainable than ever before,” said Charles Johnson, President & CEO of the Aluminum Association. “The domestic industry has cut the carbon footprint of aluminum production by half over the past 30 years and these new EPDs help us to tell this story to customers and other stakeholders.”
Sustainability advancements – like the increased use of renewable energy for primary aluminum smelting, improved efficiency in downstream manufacturing processes and reduced direct process emissions – since the EPDs were first released in 2014 have led to improved environmental performance across all aluminum product types.
When used in buildings, aluminum supports innovative designs that optimize energy efficiency and support renewable energy use. The declarations enable aluminum end users in the building and construction industry to make informed choices about using the metal. Specifically, EPDs are used to help earn LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design)® credit points for green building certification under LEED® V4.
The EPD reports are based on industrywide survey data and represent the average production performance in the United States and Canada. The reports were certified by UL Solutions – a widely respected program operator and the leading firm in verifying EPDs in North America – and developed in accordance with ISO 14025:2006 reporting standards.
To download the new aluminum declarations, visit aluminum.org/GreenBuilding.