Important step towards Green Buildings: GROHE discloses ecological impact of products with the release of Environmental Product Declarations.
-Press release
Industry pioneer: GROHE has launched Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for over 600 products
Product Passport: EPDs ensure transparent and comparable data on the environmental impact of products throughout their lifecycle
LIXIL’s positive impact on the environment: Focus on sustainable construction by improving product selection for buildings to reduce footprint and effect on climate.
Considering the fact that carbon emissions from buildings and construction constitute almost 40 percent of global carbon emissions, knowledge of a building’s environmental impact is becoming key for the construction industry to work towards the necessary green transformation. Accordingly, a number of states have already established national lifecycle carbon limits for new or public buildings. Some states require carbon reporting as a minimum standard, while others have generally enacted more stringent requirements for new construction projects.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are considered by the European Commission as a suitable means of evaluating the sustainability of a building since the materials and products used in it significantly determine a building’s impact on the environment. In order to provide its customers with transparency regarding the ecological footprint of its products, the sanitary brand GROHE has release EPDs for 18 product groups that cover more than 600 single products.
Transparency to promote sustainable construction projects
An EPD is a comprehensive, independently verified and registered product pass. It reports transparent and comparable data on the environmental impact of a product’s life cycle (Life Cycle Assessment). The life cycle is considered from the extraction of raw materials through to production then the use phase to disposal, including the impact of the individual transport routes. Tomas Kvillström, Leader, Commercial Regulation, LIXIL EMENA underlines how important it is to analyze a product’s entire life cycle: “We also looked at the usage phase, which has sometimes been neglected by the industry in the past. The long use phase of our products is the main driver for water and energy consumption and therefore a crucial piece of information for building management companies and hotel operators in particular. However, this knowledge is not only elementary for our customers, but also a good benchmark for us to further increase the sustainability of our value chain and products.”
Environmental Declarations are based on the international standard ISO 14025, and with regard to the construction industry EPDs are particularly based on EN 15804 for construction products, services and processes.
Significant building block in the sustainability strategy
Today, the focus for sustainable product requirements is primarily on Global Warming Potential (GWP). Through the collection and validation of EPD-relevant data, GROHE is striving to develop increasingly low-emission product strategies in the long term while continuously improving its own carbon footprint. Potential for improvement could be identified, for example, in aspects such as sourcing materials closer to the plant or strengthening GROHEs approach to green transportation. Since 2020 all eight LIXIL fittings plants, including the plants in Hemer, Lahr, Porta Westfalica (all Germany), Albergaria (Portugal) and Klaeng (Thailand), along with Jiangmen (China), Danang (Vietnam) and Monterrey (Mexico), where GROHE products are also manufactured, as well as the German logistics centres, are CO2-neutral. In 2021, the European outbound logistics became CO2-neutral. All fittings plants and German distribution centers have switched to green energy. The collected EPD data shows CO2 peaks and can therefore support the goal of further avoiding and reducing emissions, and also in turn minimize the share of compensation to be paid. As a brand in the LIXIL portfolio, which is a Japanese manufacturer of pioneering water and housing products, GROHE’s efforts contribute to the corporation’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
About GROHE
GROHE is a leading global brand for integrated bathroom solutions and kitchen faucets. Since 2014, GROHE has been part of the strong brand portfolio of LIXIL, a leading manufacturer of pioneering water technologies and building equipment. To offer “Pure Joy of Water”, every GROHE product is based on the brand values of quality, technology, design and sustainability. With its customized portfolios GROHE QuickFix, GROHE Professional and the premium sub-brand GROHE SPA, the brand offers both life-enhancing product solutions and services. They are all designed to meet the diverse needs of GROHE’s professional business partners and their differentiated target groups.
With water at the core of its business, GROHE contributes to LIXIL’s impact strategy with a resource-saving value chain: from CO2-neutral* production and the avoidance of unnecessary plastic in product packaging to water- and energy-saving product technologies such as GROHE Everstream, a water-recycling shower.
Thanks to the hybrid brand experience GROHE X, the brand is providing further impetus for the industry. Whether digitally at the Brand Experience Hub, physically or hybrid at the GROHE X Brand & Communication Experience Center in Hemer, or on the road with the GROHE X Motion Trucks, the brand connects people and supports LIXIL’s mission to “make a better home a reality for everyone, everywhere.”
*includes CO2 compensation projects, more on here.
About LIXIL
LIXIL (TSE Code 5938) develops pioneering water technologies and building equipment that are instrumental in overcoming everyday challenges and improving the quality of living spaces – for everyone, everywhere. Building on our Japanese heritage, we develop world-leading technologies and leverage our innovative strength to create high-quality products that make our customers’ lives easier. What sets LIXIL apart is the way we work: we balance user-centered design, entrepreneurship and responsible business growth, and we focus on simplifying everyone’s access to innovative technologies and quality products. Our approach is brought to life by industry-leading brands such as INAX, GROHE, American Standard and TOSTEM. Around 55,000 employees in over 150 countries are proud to manufacture products that are part of the daily lives of more than one billion people. Find out more here.
READ ALSO: Ανάπλαση ΦΙΞ : Η ALUMIL χαιρετίζει τις ενέργειες για εκκίνηση των εργασιών