EPDs and LCAs are necessary for engineers and architects to perform buildings life cycle assessment. In particular, verified LCA data enables them to assess embodied carbon and identify and reduce the environmental impacts associated with the use of building materials.

Embodied carbon assessment and reduction and the use of 3rd party verified LCA or EPDs are increasingly being pushed by new regulations (France, Denmark, Netherlands, Toronto, etc.). 

The use of EPDs is also strongly encouraged by green building certifications and enable earning credits by maximizing the number of materials that have a verified 3rd party LCA or EPD.

The collection of Interlayers Life Cycle Inventory data is needed to contribute into the laminated glass A1-A3 cradle-to-gate EPD section.

Eastman can provide support to facilitate integration of Saflex and Vanceva Life Cycle Inventory into our customers LCA database with any set of impact indicators (e.g., EN15804+A2)

In this way the whole value chain, from direct customers to architects and façade engineers, rely on more accurate and complete EPDs facilitating whole building Life Cycle Assessments.

Before comparing environmental performance of products, several aspects should be taken into account to ensure comparable basis:

• Make sure products compared have same functional unit: Saflex and Vanceva interlayers LCAs are using kilogram (not square meters)

• Ensure the scope of the LCA is comparable: Cradle to gate and Cradle to grave cannot be compared!

• Some EPDs or LCAs are averaging the whole product portfolio while some others are more accurate down to the product level. Eastman provides an accurate LCA at product level.  

• Standards: if the products compared do not comply with the same standards, there is a risk that the LCA results should not be comparable.  

• Ensure that the EPDs to be compared are made under the same Product Category Rule (PCR).

• Ensuring that LCA or EPD has been 3rd party verified ensures more transparency and credibility to the decision to be made. Eastman always provides 3rd party verified Life Cycle Assessments.

Eastman has set goals for 2050 with interim goals by 2030. 

The Advanced Materials Interlayers group is working through several levers to ensure meeting our corporate goals and those of our customers and markets.

Our Scope 1 and 2 Levers include continuous improvement of energy efficiency, for instance our site in Ghent had successful ISO50001 audits. Through our corporate goals we have also committed to using 100% renewable energy for our North American and European sites by 2030. 

However, we know this is not enough as our raw materials also account for a significant portion of our emissions. We are currently calculating our Scope 3 baseline to define a reduction strategy and set targets. We continue working on programs to move towards more circular practices, advanced recycling technologies to increase the use of renewable feedstocks in our products and setting targets for more sustainable procurement.