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Embracing sustainability with new PEP ecopassports for our radiators
What is a PEP ecopassport? And how is it different from an EPD?
The PEP ecopassport is an environmental declaration that’s primarily utilised within the French market but is also recognized internationally depending on local practices. Similar to an EPD, a PEP ecopassport is based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies that measure the environmental impact of a product from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. Both EPDs and PEPs are based on international standards such as ISO 14040 (LCA principles) and ISO 14025 (environmental declarations). However, whilst EPDs have a broader scope, covering a wide range of products across various industries, such as construction materials, HVAC equipment, furniture, and textiles, PEPs are more specifically focused on electrical and electronic products, and HVAC equipment.
Compared to EPDs, PEPs also the use slightly different criteria in the datasets for the different environmental modules (e.g. Manufacturing, Transportation, End of Life). Moreover, PEPs are specifically required by law to be able to operate in large contracts in France, especially in new build projects where housing permits depend on the respect of these environmental criteria.
These certifications provide third-party verified and standardized information about carbon footprint, energy consumption, and other ecological factors, making it easier for HVAC professionals to comply with environmental regulations and sustainability benchmarks.
“As building developers now need to meet specific targets, particularly in terms of Greenhouse Warming Potential (GWP) measured in kg CO2 equivalent per m2 of constructed build, it’s essential for them to have access to the environmental data of the products they use”, says Julian Stocks, Market & Application Director at Purmo Group. “By working closely with our suppliers, internal experts, software provider One Click LCA and an independent verifier, we, as a manufacturer, can meet this demand and offer clear data that facilitate our customers’ daily tasks as well as make their projects more environmentally attractive. On top of that, we are developing our internal competence across Operations and Product Management with the help of One Click LCA to generate PEPs from EPDs and vice versa and to be quicker to market with these declarations in the future.”
New PEP ecopassports for our radiators
Following an earlier PEP ecopassport for our Thermopanel radiators, we are happy to confirm the publication of a full range of Product Environmental Profiles for various steel panel radiators and towel warmers available within Purmo Group. These include:
- Finimetal & Radson HP Vertical, Kos V, Faro V, Tinos V, Paros V
- Finimetal Reggane 3010 Plan Compact, Deco Compact
- Finimetal Reggane 3010 Standard, Compact, Tertiaire
- Finimetal Reggane 3010 Intégrée, Maternelle, T6, T6 Tertiaire
- Radson HP Integra & Integra Flex 8C
- Radson Compact HP
- Radson Integra Ramo HP et Ramo Flex 8C
- Radson Integra Parada HP & Integra Parada Flex 8C
- Weld-in hydronic towel warmers, covering Banga, Tahiti, Flores and Avonmore ranges
- Weld-in electric towel warmers, covering the Banga range
We are proud of the good results we can put forward with these PEPs in terms of the environmental impact of our products. This is attributable to a number of factors, including close collaboration with the right suppliers (preferably based on their own EPDs), our ongoing efforts to produce our products as sustainably as possible and the use of good, product-specific data instead of default values.
Faro V vertical designer radiator
Behind the scenes we are leveraging our growing experience with this type of certificates to extend the list above in the course of this year. Our aim is to make environmental data available for the vast majority of our radiator, pipe and valve ranges, especially those used in public, new build or large scale renovation projects where environmental data is mandatory. We also keep in mind that environmental data will be required in the future at a reference level for export into product data files and ultimately the digital product passports required by the EU.
Discover our complete range of panel radiators
Benefits of choosing PEP-certified products
Using products with a PEP ecopassport provides various advantages. First of all, a PEP certification offers enhanced transparency. With access to detailed environmental impact data it becomes easier for HVAC professionals to make informed choices and adhere to evolving eco-design and sustainability regulations.
Julian explains: “In light of the movement towards a decarbonised building sector, it’s important that building developers have access to verified data about product aspects such as biodiversity, resource scarcity and the amount of carbon generated. Especially since the GWP of heating equipment is quite considerable and using components with a lower environmental impact has a big effect on the overall project.”
“The use of verified data ensures that the information in a PEP is comparable. However, when comparing PEPs or EPDs, it’s important to do it in the right way. You should, for example, check the comparability of different declared and functional units, the validity of the different certificates, their verification status, the reference standards and rules they’re based on and whether the scope includes cradle to gate or cradle to grave. All these factors contribute to the creation of a true and genuine image of the products.” For example, for an electric towel warmer, a PEP based on energy consumption over the course of 17 years, which is the current standard, will provide a different result than one based on the old standard of 15 years.
Another benefit of using PEP-certified products is that they allow for a stronger bid in green building projects and a better alignment with sustainability-focussed clients. Making a habit of using certified products will only make it easier to stay ahead of regulatory changes and market demands for eco-friendly HVAC solutions.
Flores hydronic towel warmer
How to access the PEP Ecopassport information
PEP ecopassport information is publicly available, making it easy for anyone to verify product credentials. You can, for example, find all certificates for Purmo Group products in the PEP ecopassport database.
Additionally, the PEP certificates for our products have been included in the INIES database where they are linked to Purmo Group (UK) Ltd as registering body. A link to the individual certificates per product line can be found on our dedicated page about environmental credentials.
In the PEP ecopassport you’ll find information about the specific products it covers and the reference product as well as the declared and functional unit that was used. This information can then be used in combination with the scaling factors included in the PEP to calculate the environmental footprint for each individual product reference.
By choosing PEP-certified products, our customers can enhance transparency, improve compliance, and contribute to a greener future. We encourage you to explore these certified products and take advantage of the benefits they bring to your projects.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the products mentioned above or their PEP ecopassport.