More will follow helping specifiers make informed, low-carbon choices in line with Construction 2025.
Polypipe Building Services has reinforced its commitment to sustainability by producing 21 Environmental Product Declarations so far this year – as part of a plan to significantly increase the number of EPDs the company will make available throughout 2025.
This move comes as architects and designers nationwide increasingly look to deliver lower carbonfootprint solutions that align with the government’s sustainable construction strategy, ‘Construction 2025’.
Created using Life Cycle Assessment methodology, EPDs provide transparent third-party verified information about a product’s environmental impact throughout its entire lifecycle.
EPDs reflect a manufacturer’s stance on sustainability by providing comparable and objective data which set a standardised baseline for product comparison. This allows construction professionals to make informed decisions around embodied carbon in system designs and material selection.
Working with the One Click LCA platform, Polypipe Building Services has produced 27 EPDs to date, 21 of which are already available, with a further six in verification. This programme forms part of the manufacturer’s wider sustainability strategy, which includes commitments to sustainable innovation, the circular economy, and waste reduction.
In 2024, PBS significantly exceeded its sustainability target for recycled material use, which was set at 28%. Thanks to a series of upgrades to its manufacturing facility, recycled material usage increased from 5% to an impressive 32%, with some products now containing as much as 65% recycled content.
However, the PBS sustainability strategy goes beyond materials alone. Customers also benefit from the manufacturer’s on-site waste recycling scheme, which collects onsite fabrication waste from customer sites. The waste collected is processed back at the factory and reused in PBS products, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of customer projects and diverting plastic waste from landfill.
Sarah Cartwright, Head of Product & Development at Polypipe Building Services, commented: “With the built environment contributing around 25% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, we need to take action. From manufacturing and transportation to design and installation, right through to occupation – and even demolition – we all have a role to play.
“That’s why we’re determined to lead the construction industry’s drive towards sustainability - through product and manufacturing innovation, recycling, waste and embodied carbon reduction.
“The progress we’ve made in delivering a high number of EPDs from across our product range is key to this. The sector has made big strides in reducing operational carbon, but more must be done to tackle embodied carbon.
“By providing fully transparent, third-party verified EPDs, we are empowering our customers to make informed choices that champion sustainable design and engineering. And, at the same time, we’re holding ourselves accountable by providing transparent updates on our own progress, including the increased use of recycled content in our products.”
