Since 2023, Efectis teams have been developing their expertise in the field of circular economy applied to construction products, an area in which methods and requirements are constantly evolving.
Proof of this can be seen in the increasing number of regulatory openings for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) , whether in France with the Environmental Regulation (RE2020) already in force, or in Europe with the Construction Products Regulation (CPR 2024), which introduces environmental performance assessment as part of CE marking, becoming a progressive requirement for all construction products placed on the European market.
Your contact for LCA and environmental declarations: florian.tournois@efectis.com
LCA is a scientific method used to quantify, as comprehensively and objectively as possible, the environmental impact of a product at each stage of its life cycle. It is based on international standards (ISO 14040 and 14044) and is recognised by public authorities such as ADEME and the European Commission.
LCA is now used as a benchmark for objectively assessing the environmental impact of a product. It identifies the most polluting stages of the life cycle (e.g. production, transport, use, end of life) and defines priority areas for action. The aim is to minimise these impacts, using quantified data to target the most significant improvements, while recognising the limitations and compromises inherent in any eco-design approach.
It is a recognised approach, but like any scientific method, it also has its limitations and must be carried out by competent individuals in order to produce reliable and useful results that benefit the environment.
The EPD is a Type III environmental declaration within the meaning of ISO 14025. It contains the results of the LCA of a construction product, established in accordance with the methodological standard EN 15804+A2.
These EPDs are voluntary declarations and apply to the entire European market. They are published in a database where programme operators define more or less stringent rules applied to LCAs. There are almost as many programmes as there are countries in the European Union, which complicates environmental declarations and comparisons between them.
It is in this context that the new Construction Products Regulation (Regulation No. 2024/3110) was published in 2024. This promises to harmonise practices in Europe, where the Declaration of Performance and Conformity (DoPC) will serve as a one-stop shop for building contractors.
Efectis supports its clients in the production of EPDs.
An FDES is an EPD applied to the French market. It must comply with the national supplement that clarifies standard EN 15804+A2 via:
An FDES summarises the environmental and health characteristics of a product for all phases of its life cycle:
FDES also comply with French RE2020 regulations, which require architects not to exceed carbon thresholds (in kg CO₂eq emitted/m²/year) when applying for building permits. These thresholds are calculated using a building LCA, based on the results of the FDES.
There are several types of FDES: some are produced by a single manufacturer for a specific product or product range. Others represent a “standard” product manufactured by several manufacturers or are “custom-made” for a specific construction project. All FDES are public and available on the INIES national database. They must be updated every 5 years to ensure that the information is reliable and up to date.
Efectis assists its clients in the preparation of FDES (individual, range and/or multi-site).
A Product Environmental Profile (PEP) is a type of EPD that summarises the environmental impacts of a product throughout its life cycle. It is used for electrical, electronic and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) equipment. The PEP is based on a separate programme (PCR) and specific rules (PSR) for each product family. As with any environmental declaration for a construction product, a PEP is valid for 5 years.
For building professionals (design offices, architects, builders), the information provided by a PEP enables them to base their analysis and choices on clear and comparable data. They are thus able to select the most suitable equipment in terms of the building’s overall environmental performance.
As a historical actor in the field, Efectis has been closely involved with European regulations since 1989, first with the European Construction Products Directive and then with the Construction Products Regulations (2011/2024). With this experience, Efectis has built up technical expertise in construction products and is now able to fully meet requests for support in producing environmental declarations (EPD/FDES/PEP).
There are three stages:
Carrying out the LCA study
The study follows the reference standard for LCA (ISO 14044) and the methodological standard EN 15804+A2 (and the French national supplement, if applicable), divided into four main phases:
Preparation of the EPD/FDES
The EPD is developed according to the programme in which it will be published. The FDES is developed as described in Annex K of standard NF EN 15804+A2/CN.
Assistance with verification and, if necessary, registration with the programme or INIES
The client chooses the verifier. Efectis liaises with the verifier to answer any questions they may have. Finally, Efectis can assist with the client’s registration in the EPD/FDES database.
