ECO Platform - Newsletter October 2021

Dear Reader,

Recently it feels like the moment has come, future has begun. With high pressure and speed, policy-makers and industry are pressing for more environmental protection and digitalization at the same time. Both subjects differ from so many other problems decision makers and their organizations had to deal with in the past. And it is obvious that our structures, especially of our public authotities, were never made for dealing with complex issues that cross borders of competence and that require action plans that exceed by far the usual legislative periods.

We need smart global solutions quickly and find global consensus with so many different stakeholders. And here we see ECO Platform's future role. The speed and importance of new developments driven by ECO Platform has increased. Our activities paint a clear picture. We are ready to act as catalyzer, developing solutions for globally aligned, affordable and reliable digital environmental data for products to facilitate building LCA.

Let us take you by the hand and show you some of our latest achievements and planned projects. And again, we are introducing some strong new members of our association to you.

Global Alignment

by Christian Donath

Partnership with Building Transparency (EC3)

Building Transparency and ECO Platform signed a Memorandum of Understanding on partnering in their aim to align environmental product data globally. A joint press release ahead of COP26 now reveals details about the planned cooperation.
Find the full press release here.

This partnership will include a pilot to focus on harmonizing the ILCD+EPD format with the openEPD standard. The ILCD+EPD data format was developed by European Stakeholders based on the ILCD format of the European Commission and is a technical means for transporting information associated with an EPD in a structured way. Through this pilot, Building Transparency and ECO platform aim to test linkages and translation between the ILCD+EPD and openEPD standards, aligning global efforts to decarbonize our buildings.

Stacy Smedley, Executive Director Building Transparency

“It’s critical that we work towards a global standard for how we report the environmental impacts of building products and materials to adequately address embodied carbon’s role in climate change,” said Stacy Smedley, Executive Director of Building Transparency. “Beyond providing consistent data for the comparison and specification of low-carbon options, this also ensures that policymakers have accurate and uniform data to inform their efforts. Ultimately, these coordinated global efforts have the significant opportunity to drive widespread change and incentivize more transparency and carbon-conscious purchasing and decision making.”

New Working and Task Groups

by Christian Donath

Working Group Strategic Standardization (STAWOG)

In addition to our Technical Working Group, which is responsible for "specification and maintenance of requirements for ECO EPD content, format and verification", a working group on standardization acitivities is under establishment.

The role of the STAWOG is to be "voice and ear" of ECO Platform towards standardization initiatives, to develop common strategic positions on standardization issues, to ensure their integration into ongoing standardization activities an ensure comprehensive communication towards members.

Mandated by the BoD, the STAWOG will be convened by Frank Werner. The STAWOG will be open to all members of ECO Platform. You may indicate your interest of sending a representative at any time to our Managing Director or the Convenor of STAWOG.

We are going to invite all members for the constituent kick-off meeting of STAWOG via email in the coming weeks.

Working Group Downstream Tools (Building LCA)

With the API Pilot Project, seven tool operators were invited to test a direct connection of their applications to the ECO Portal. Several usefule enhancements were identified to unfold the potential value fully.

As the focus of ECO Platform is to effectively provide reliable digital data for building LCA purposes worldwide, many tool operators joined our Association recently to become part of the interesting network and to participate in the ongoing advanced developments.

It is intended to establish a working group as ECO Platform's "voice and ear" towards tool operators using digital ECO EPD data via ECO Portal, like Building LCA Tools, development of solutions for efficient exchange of digital EPD data for use in building assessment tools.

The BoD is currently drafting a specification of boundaries and scope for this "TOOLWOG". All members

Task Group Circular Economy

It has been under long consideration whether the issue of "Circular Economy" requires the establishment of an own working group mandated by the BoD or whether a task group should be formed under regiment of TEWOG. In the end the dominance of technical subjects, especially the question how to integrate relevant indicators into the ECO EPD, turned the balance to the favor of a TEWOG Task Group.

The Task Group CE started their work with drafting a proposal on their scope, which got approved by TEWOG and BoD. Martin Blumberg was appointed as convenor of the Task Group. We are keeping you posted on relevant developments. For detailed insights please participate in our TEWOG.

Task Group PCR Registry

We reported about the work on a PCR Registry in our last newsletter. Meanwhile the Task Group was handed-over to a new convenor, Johan Nilsson from EPD International.

Extraordinary General Assembly November 2021

by Christian Donath

To be set for quick developments regular revisions of our regulations by our General Assembly are required, the Work Programme is to be adjusted and the budget needs to be approved accordingly.

On November 25th we are inviting all members to join our extraordinary General Assembly and to take the next steps towards our common goal.

The decision to meet online was taken for the safety of all participants. We hope to be able to meet all members in person again, on May 19th next year in Brussels.

New Members

Welcome iPoint Systems GmbH

iPoint empowers companies to collect and analyze all necessary data to assess and report the environmental, social, and economic impacts of their products and related processes.

With their LCA tool Umberto and iPoint Product Sustainability iPoint-systems gmbh is an important strengthening of ECO Platform.

For more info refer to https://www.ipoint-systems.com/

iPoint's face at ECO Platform is Martina Prox

Martina Prox, M.A., has been engaged for innovation, sustainable production and IT for over 25 years. For the iPoint Group, she supports companies on their journey to sustainable production.

Asked for the reasons to join ECO Platform, Martina states:

"Leveraging digitalization for sustainable change is iPoint’s purpose – we see ECO Platform in a leading role bringing actors within the life cycle community together to agree on standardized and harmonized approaches for the exchange of life cycle information in machine readable formats across the supply chain. Only with fully digitized life cycles production systems across all industries will master the transformation of our economy ahead of us towards a truly digital sustainable circular econonomy."

Welcome Ramboll Deutschland GmbH

Ramboll is a global engineering, architecture and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945. They partner with their clients to create sustainable societies where people and nature flourish. Ramboll's 16,500 experts create sustainable solutions across Buildings, Transport, Water, Environment & Health, Architecture & Landscape, Energy and Management Consulting.

More about Ramboll: https://de.ramboll.com/

As a member of the ECO Platform, Ramboll aims to promote innovation, climate-friendly and resource-saving approaches in the building sector. They develop buildings that focus on human needs and set new standards in terms of design and building structures. The claim to choose approaches that are as climate-friendly and resource-conserving as possible is always in focus.

Martin Blumberg, Head of ESG Consulting in Germany

"The ECO Platform membership strengthens our commitment to sustainable and responsible construction. We are pleased to be part of this strong community and to contribute to a low carbon and resource-efficient construction sector with our experience in the preparation of EPDs, the integration of life cycle thinking into the innovation management of the building materials industry and the design and certification of sustainable buildings."

Welcome eTool PTY Ltd

eTool serve construction businesses/projects who are being challenged to reduce carbon emissions. They provide Life Cycle Design software to calculate and reduce whole of life carbon and cost of new and existing assets. eTool is offering eToolLCD and RapidLCA.

eToolLCD is a technically superior, secure, collaborative, holistic and, high value life cycle environmental management platform.

The RapidLCA app optimises whole of life carbon, capital cost and operational expenditure of homes.

For more info refer to https://etoolglobal.com/

Richard Haynes is the Co-CEO of eTool and said about joining ECO Platform:

"eTool was motivated to join the ECO Platform to support the critical work providing a level playing field for construction product manufacturers. As a pioneer in whole building life cycle (and embodied) impact eTool has always recognised the potential for decarbonisation within the supply chain. Competition on environmental performance through EPDs are a key enabler for this."

Welcome Cercula Ltd.

Cercula are a plug-and-play carbon metrics software for the built environment. Knowing that the best time to reduce carbon from buildings is before they are built, they are equipping those who have the most influence with the right tools. Cercula is on a mission to reduce 1 million tonnes of carbon from being emitted to the built environment by 2024.

Find out more on https://cercula.io/

The founding team are made up of Isabelle Gough, a Sustainability Consultant and Tim Hawkins, a Full Stack Engineer. Both are highly motivated to use technology as a tool for positive change and strive towards improving the environmental and social impact of the built environment.

Isabelle Gough, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Cercula

"We joined ECO Platform to stay close to the mechanism that is driving carbon data generation and keep our development in line with global standards. We’re looking forward to contributing to the influx of carbon data to the construction industry, and working collaboratively to a low carbon infrastructure."

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