Epi Project

ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (EPI) for the real estate and construction industry in Finland

✔ Life cycle planning ✔ Eco-efficiency ✔ Energy saving ✔ Life cycle cost ✔ Environmental impact category ✔ Environmental performance reporting

TOOLS TESTED for the purpose of developing environmental and life cycle expertise A vision shared by the Finnish construction and real estate industry is that its environmental expertise will represent the leading edge of international knowhow by 2010. To this end, a broad-based project called ”Environmental Performance Indicators for Construction Industry EPI” was launched to work out a set of indicators for the environmental and life cycle performance of buildings in order to provide a basis for a high standard of eco-efficiency for activities in the Finnish construction and real estate sector. The EPI Project was carried out by the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT in collaboration with Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), other central organizations and companies representing the construction and real estate fields. When the indicators were defined, due consideration was given to the standards for evaluating the environmental impact of buildings and building components, official regulations, directives, international conventions and the national environmental strategy adopted by Finland.

The EPI indicators can be applied to •

manage and control building construction and maintenance from the project planning stage to final decommissioning

•

allow property owners and contractors to carry out the environmental impact calculations over the entire life cycle of the buildings

•

classify new and existing buildings according to environmental impact category based on generally accepted rules to enable service life planning of buildings

•

evaluate the inter-dependence between environmental and financial considerations more accurately and to report on the environmental impact of the activities carried out by companies.

LAURI RATIA CEO, Lohja Rudus Oy Ab Chairman of the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT in 2004 ”Practical application of the environmental performance indicators calls not only for a strong commitment on the part of the whole industry but also for sound self-interest because environmental and life cycle expertise is becoming an increasingly important competitive advantage.”

The EPI indicators and tools developed in the course of the project will be tested in several real-life building projects. To make it easier to use the indicators, specific instructions have been prepared for property owners, developers, designers, contractors, the building products industry and the building engineering systems sector. The instructions give a presentation of the main stages and critical interfaces of the process, including decision-making criteria. Calculation examples are provided to show how eco-efficiency is linked to finances. The EPI indicators and tools complete with instructions are posted on the Internet portal at www.rakennusteollisuus.fi/rem.

CONTENTS 3 4 6 7 8

Life cycle planning Classification of buildings according to impact category Environmental product declarations for building products Environmental performance reporting Energy efficiency and life cycle cost Website Participants in the Environmental Performance Indicators Project

PHOTO ON THE COVER: Residential project Helsingin Rantatörmä. Photo by Voitto Niemelä.

ERKKI AHO Director, Senate Properties Chairman of the EPI Steering Group ”To rank among the best in the world in environmental performance, the Finnish construction and real estate industry must give real proof of its mastery of the eco-efficiency approach and the extent of the activity.”

LIFE CYCLE PLANNING ensures sustainable solutions By means of life cycle planning, it is possible to construct a building in a sustainable manner and thereby ensure that it satisfies the requirements imposed by owners, users and society throughout its life. In designing the structure, due consideration must be given to the functionality of spaces, indoor conditions, service life, adaptability, safety, easy access, environmental pressures, and life cycle costs.

EcoProP is an Excel-based tool developed by VTT Building and Transport for the planning and documentation of functionality requirements for buildings. This tool allows the user to assign requirements to three classes, the point of departure being the current regulatory framework and the highest the Eco Level.

LEVELS OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT Corporate level, building stock level Owner’s or user’s life cycle strategy, such as environmental indicators for the real estate business • Life cycle strategies, environmental values, management and decision-making systems.

Property level Life-cycle features of buildings, such as the environmental impact category • Productive, usability, health, natural resources flows, emissions and wastes, risks, etc.

Systems and structurels level Life cycle and environmental features of systems and structures • Energy economy solutions, durable materials, adaptability, etc.

Equipment and product level Environmental features of equipment and products • Material selections, manufacturing process, recycling, transportation, etc.e

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Environmental classification of buildings The PromisE Environmental Classification System was developed for new production and existing buildings. Specific criteria were prepared for residential, office and commercial buildings. The weighting factors shown here apply to new buildings.

USERS’ HEALTH 25 %

NATURAL RESOURCES FLOWS 30 %

INDOOR AIR OBJECTIVES

ENERGY

MAIN CLASSES

40 %

ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS 35 %

ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS 10 %

SITE

35 %

40 %

EMISSIONS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE

50 %

BUILDING

WATER 10 %

CATEGORIES INDOOR AIR QUALITY

30 %

25 % LAND USE

10 % SOLID WASTES

20 % MATERIALS 20 % SEWAGE WASTES 5 % BIODIVERSITY AROUND THE SITE MOISTURE MANAGEMENT

30 %

10 %

CONSTRUCTION SITE

40 % SERVICE LIFE TRAFFIC

20 %

15 %

INDICATORS USED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDINGS INDOOR AIR OBJECTIVES

ENERGY

MATERIALS

Setting of requirements and related levels Quality of design Quality of Supervision and documentation Objectives specified in property maintenance agreements

Target levels for energy consumption Heat consumption Electricity consumption by the property Management of in-service energy consumption Quality of acceptance inspection of the building

Total use of natural resources Recycling rates of materials Space savings through the use of communal areas (residential units only)

INDOOR AIR QUALITY Air exchange rate Purity of inlet air Material emissions

MOISTURE MANAGEMENT Quality of building-physical design Quality of on-site moisture management Quality of operating and maintenance instructions

LIGHTING (offices only)

SERVICE LIFE Design service life Level of detail of service life planning Adaptability

WATER Quality of Water distribution systems Measurement of water consumption (residential units only)

LAND USE Prudent use of land by making use of existing built-up areas Use of existing services networks

Intensity and uniformity Prevention of reflections and glare

EMISSIONS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE Environmental impact of building components Environmental impact of in-service energy consumption

SOLID WASTES In-service waste management Waste management during construction

SEWAGE WASTES On-site rainwater handling

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REM ympäristö- ja elinkaarimittaristo

BIODIVERSITY AROUND THE SITE Soil sealing Removal of soils Value of building lot with regar nature protection Occurrence of rare or protected species

TRAFFIC Public transport services Vicinity of pedestrian and bicycle routes Access to services

ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS Cleanliness of the site Environmental risks posed by building materials Environmental risks posed by refrigerants (shops only) On-site environmental risk management On-site health risk management

An example of how to use an environmental classification report

Outcome of the assessment

=X

Weighted overall grade

A

Target established =

B

C

D

E

USERS’ HEALTH

Helsinki City Housing Production Office ATT/ Helsingin Cappuccino

x

Indoor air management Indoor air quality

x

Moisture management

Using this Internet-based tool, it is possible to evaluate the main environmental impacts of the building by means of simple and reliable indicators. By assigning scores to various environmental properties, an overall grade is obtained reflecting the standard of the building’s environmental features. The main criteria used for classification are the users’ health, natural resources flows, ecological impacts, and environmental risks.All in all, there are close to 40 individual environmental indicators.

NATURAL RESOURCES FLOWS

x x

Energy consumption Water consumption

x

Land use

x

Materials

x

Service life

ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS

x

Emissions into the atmosphere

x x

Solid wastes Sewage wastes

Same principle as applied to assessment of household appliances

Biodiversity around the site

x

Environmental impacts of traffic

x

ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS Environments risks posed by the site

By means of the PromisE Environmental Classification System, buyers or lessees can evaluate the ”environmentally friendly” of the building very much the same way as the energy performance of household appliances. The top grade ”A” requires an extremely high standard of quality. Only a couple of per cent of all buildings in Finland achieve this level. An estimated 10% of Finnish properties may qualify for the second highest grade ”B”. The lowest level ”E” is equivalent to the standard required under current building regulations. The PromisE Environmental Classification System is a tool for marketing and property improvement. Using this system, the property owner can evaluate the environmental performance and eco-efficiency of his building stock, set ambitious goals for reducing environmental impact and to instruct the staff in the environmental impact exerted by buildings and ways of reducing it. Environmental classification can be applied at any stage of construction from project planning onwards, making it possible to use it as a design and planning control tool. The Internet-based PromisE tool is available at www.promiseweb.net.

Environments risks posed by the building

x x

Construction site

The PromisE Environmental Classification System was tested in the planning stage for the office block project in Niittymaa, Espoo, currently being contemplated by Skanska Talonrakennus Oy. 5

Environmental product declarations for building products In 2003 the EU Commission initiated the preparation of harmonized CEN standards concerning the environmental product declarations for building products and the environmental impact of buildings. Voluntary procedures have already been put in place in several countries based on the ISO 14000 series standards, etc. Environmental product declarations and building life-cycle assessments (LCA) have been made in Finland for about 5 years. For building materials and products, RT environmental declarations will be available before the harmonized international standards are adopted. To some extent, they are also applicable to building services equipment.

For more details, see www.rts.fi.

The environmental product declaration of a building product lists its environmental impacts, such as energy consumption, raw material consumption, emissions into the atmosphere, and use of natural resources. The declarations also address the main environmental aspects, such as health risks and recycling considerations when the construction work is in progress, the structure is in service and when it is demolished. The environmental product declarations make no judgement about the service life of the products or place them in any ranking order in terms of environmental impact. Instead, the environmental declarations seek to promote the use of building products that have less impact on the environment than equivalent products. Environmental product declarations and public databases are used to calculate the environmental profiles of individual structures and these results are then applied to work out the life cycle assessment for the entire building. Service conditions and energy consumption are included in the calculations at this point.

The environmental profile of the standardized external wall structure

Performance: u-value = 0,25 W/m2 K Fire resistance class: REI 90 Use: Residential buildings Office buildeings Public Buildings

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REM ympäristö- ja elinkaarimittaristo

Senate Properties has carried out a number of pilot projects as part of the EPI programme. One of the tasks was to complete the LCC and LCA calculations for the Medi Project of the University of Kuopio pictured here.

Service life planning means looking ahead Service life planning ensures that the structures retain the required performance characteristics throughout their foreseen service life. The LifePlan Project carried out by VTT in collaboration with construction companies and organizations produced an extensive service life and life cycle file for building products. Using this file, the client can now select structures and materials based also on as maintenance requirements and costs.

Guide for calculating building heating requirements The Building Energy Calculations Project launched by the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT was carried out to develop a method for computing the heating capacity required by various spaces. The calculation is based on zoning with due regard to heat losses, preferred indoor temperatures, internal thermal energies and the rates at which they can be used.

Calculation of the energy efficiency of building services systems The Project for Calculation of Energy Efficiency of Buildings and Related Indicators coordinated by the Finnish Development Centre for Building Services Ltd (TAKE) is developing methods for calculating energy efficiencies from the standpoint of building engineering systems.

Instructions and software for computing life cycle costs The life cycle costs of a building consist of construction, maintenance, modifications and repairs, and demolition. A calculation guide for LCCs complete with examples was prepared as part of the Environmental Performance Indicators Project. Additionally, a survey of existing LCC software was carried out. The purpose of LCC methods is to support investors to compare the efficiency of investment alternatives.

ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING – instructions and indicators A guide was prepared in connection with the EPI Project providing guidelines for voluntary reporting on environmental performance by real estate and construction companies and organizations. Typical issues to be addressed in the reports include • environmental policy and management system • environmental impact exerted by the activity (raw material and energy flows, emissions, recycling, wastes, land use) • environmental risks • corrective action taken • measures to ensure eco-efficiency in the operation and maintenance of properties (owners, users) • measures to ensure eco-efficiency in the construction supply chain • other environmental responsibilities. The environmental report can be presented as a separate report or as part of a broader corporate citizenship report. The environmental report can be in a hardcopy or electronic format. The indicators developed in the course of the EPI Project can be used to monitor the company’s eco-efficiency. The indicators are subdivided into three main categories: Internal efficiency and expertise • Environmental management • Environmental impact of own activities • Environmental training • Expertise in methods to improve management of environmental impacts. Customers, stakeholder groups and eco-networking • Environmental reporting • Environment-classified products • Requirements imposed on service providers Profitability management • Environmental investments • R&D investments in improving environmental performance

ELECTRONIC PORTAL for environmental performance indicators and life cycle assessment

The EPI portal is found at www.rakennusteollisuus.fi/rem.

EPI indicators according to roles in the construction and real estate industry.

EPI indicators according to the product hierarchy applied in the construction and real estate industry

Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT Box 381 (Unioninkatu 14) 00131 Helsinki Tel. +358 9 12 991, fax +358 9 628 264 www.rakennusteollisuus.fi

The extensive EPI Project was carried out in close collaboration with various players in the real estate and construction cluster. The project was managed by the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT and its partners Motiva Oy The Finnish Real Estate Federation Finnish Development Centre for Building Services Ltd (TAKE) The Finnish Association of Building Owners and Construction Clients RAKLI National Technology Agency of Finland Tekes Wood Focus Oy Also involved in developing the indicators and piloting were the following companies and organizations: Are Oy Finnforest Oyj Finnmap Consulting Oy Helsinki City Housing Production Office ATT University of Helsinki PWD Construction Management JP Building Engineering Ltd Kesko-Kiinteistöt Local Government Pensions Institution Lohja Rudus Oy Ab Finnish Forest Industries Federation NCC Construction Finland Ltd Oy Alfred A. Palmberg Ab Parma Oy Rautaruukki Oyj Saint-Gobain Isover Oy Sampo Bank Plc Senate Properties The Finnish Indoor Air Association Skanska Talonrakennus Oy SOK Property Services VTT Building and Transport VVO Corporation Ltd Ministry of the Environment

For more information about the EPI Project, please contact Project Manager Arto Suikka, M.Sc.(Eng.) tel. +358 9 1299 290, mobile +358 500 500 131, e-mail [email protected]

Rakennusteollisuuden Viestintäkeskus Oy/Libris Oy 2004

The environmental performance and life cycle indicators developed in the EPI Project are now available in two sets on the Internet. The files are grouped according to operator and product hierarchy.