Circularity, life cycle assessment, cradle to cradle, cradle to grave, LEED, BREEAM… When you’re looking into the topic of sustainability, quite a lot of terms and abbreviations will pop up. In this sustainability vocabulary, some of the most frequently used terms around sustainability are explained.
The principle of a circular economy originated as a countermovement against the traditional linear economy. In a linear economy, there would be a “take-make-dispose”-mentality. The issue with a linear economy is that it assumes that there is a continuous inflow of raw materials.
A circular economy, however, is an economic system with closed loops. This means that products and (raw) materials are reused, shared, repaired, remanufactured and recycled continuously. The aim is to eliminate waste and minimise the use of resource inputs. Using renewable energy and minimising pollution are also a part of circularity.
Rockpanel products contribute to a circular economy as they are made from the recyclable, abundant material basalt. Read more about how Rockpanel contributes to a circular economy.
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an analysis of the environmental impact that a building material has. The LCA monitors the impact of a product in its full life cycle: from manufacturing to the use phase and the end-of-life situation – where recycling possibilities are relevant.
Within the LCA all aspects that influence the environmental footprint are evaluated. Think of factors such as raw materials used, the production, transport, energy use and emissions to air, soil and water. This makes it a very complete assessment. Find out more about life cycle assessments.
An EPD is a document in which you can find data about the environmental impact of a certain building material. These data are presented in a standardized way. Usually, a Life Cycle Analysis is used to make an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Read our article about what an EPD is and what kind of factors it covers.
Rockpanel provides the information you need to create sustainable buildings. Please find relevant documentation and certificates, including our externally verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) here.
The expression ‘cradle to grave’ usually refers to the life cycle of a product. The term ‘cradle to cradle’ was invented in the beginning of the 21st century and implies that this new design model is sustainable and considerate of life and future generations. Although Rockpanel is recyclable and therefore fits within the cradle to cradle-philosophy, ‘cradle to cradle’ is a certified and protected trademark that we therefore cannot use.
There are many sustainability certification schemes out there. The most well-known are:
We manufacture board material mostly used in ventilated constructions, for facade cladding, roof detailing, soffits and fascias.
