Green Public Procurement
and Construction Sector:
EPD and LCA Based Benchmarks
of the Whole-Building
Sara Ganassali, Monica Lavagna, Andrea Campioli
and Sergio Saporetti
Abstract The paper discusses the possible use of Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in European and Italian
Green Public Procurement (GPP) for the building sector, in order to define targets
based on objective and reliable building environmental impacts information. The
research objective is to define how to set LCA benchmarks towards the improvement of GPP requirements. The study analyses the GPP criteria based on LCA in
Europe with a focus on Italy; it proposes LCA benchmarks for selected groups of
construction materials and scenarios for the implementation of LCA benchmarks
related to buildings elements and whole-buildings. It also illustrates how public
administrations can verify the GPP criteria achievement using EPDs.
1 Introduction
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) practice is increasing in the construction sector to
evaluate the environmental sustainability of buildings. Generally, the definition of
the better environmental profile between buildings providing a similar function is
performed through the simple comparison of the LCA impacts results. This
approach should be completed by objective LCA-based environmental benchmarks
(reference values) to be set, which can be used for setting sustainable construction
and production targets. Environmental LCA-based benchmark values are used in
several Green Building Rating Systems (GBRSs) and in buildings energy certifications. In these certifications (such as LEED, BREEAM, Verde, Green Star,
S. Ganassali (&) Á M. Lavagna Á A. Campioli
Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction
Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
e-mail: sara.ganassali@polimi.it
S. Saporetti
Ministero dell’ambiente e della tutela del territorio e del mare,
Direzione clima ed energia, Divisione II certificazione ambientale
ed acquisti pubblici verdi, 00147 Rome, Italy
© The Author(s) 2018
E. Benetto et al. (eds.), Designing Sustainable Technologies,
Products and Policies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66981-6_56
503
and Construction Sector:
EPD and LCA Based Benchmarks
of the Whole-Building
Sara Ganassali, Monica Lavagna, Andrea Campioli
and Sergio Saporetti
Abstract The paper discusses the possible use of Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in European and Italian
Green Public Procurement (GPP) for the building sector, in order to define targets
based on objective and reliable building environmental impacts information. The
research objective is to define how to set LCA benchmarks towards the improvement of GPP requirements. The study analyses the GPP criteria based on LCA in
Europe with a focus on Italy; it proposes LCA benchmarks for selected groups of
construction materials and scenarios for the implementation of LCA benchmarks
related to buildings elements and whole-buildings. It also illustrates how public
administrations can verify the GPP criteria achievement using EPDs.
1 Introduction
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) practice is increasing in the construction sector to
evaluate the environmental sustainability of buildings. Generally, the definition of
the better environmental profile between buildings providing a similar function is
performed through the simple comparison of the LCA impacts results. This
approach should be completed by objective LCA-based environmental benchmarks
(reference values) to be set, which can be used for setting sustainable construction
and production targets. Environmental LCA-based benchmark values are used in
several Green Building Rating Systems (GBRSs) and in buildings energy certifications. In these certifications (such as LEED, BREEAM, Verde, Green Star,
S. Ganassali (&) Á M. Lavagna Á A. Campioli
Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction
Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
e-mail: sara.ganassali@polimi.it
S. Saporetti
Ministero dell’ambiente e della tutela del territorio e del mare,
Direzione clima ed energia, Divisione II certificazione ambientale
ed acquisti pubblici verdi, 00147 Rome, Italy
© The Author(s) 2018
E. Benetto et al. (eds.), Designing Sustainable Technologies,
Products and Policies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66981-6_56
503