Knauf Insulation Glass Mineral Wool Insulation EPD
Knauf Insulation Glass Mineral Wool Insulation EPD
DECLARATION
In accordance with ISO 14025 and EN 15804:2012+A1:2013 for:
EPD International AB
Box 210 60
EPD programme operator: SE-100 31 Stockholm - Sweden
www.environdec.com
[email protected]
The EPD owner has the sole ownership, liability and responsibility for the EPD.
EPD within the same product category but from different programmes may not be comparable.
EPD of construction products may not be comparable if they do not comply with EN 15804.
At Knauf Insulation, we are committed to helping our customers meet the increasing demand for
energy efficiency and sustainability in homes, non-residential buildings and industrial applications.
As the only manufacturer of both Glass and Rock Mineral Wool, we are uniquely placed to provide the
best insulation solution for each application. We offer a wide range of insulation solutions for all
applications in commercial and residential buildings, for both new build and refurbishment projects, in
addition to solutions for HVAC, industrial applications and fire protection, green roofs and bespoke
applications.
COMPANY CERTIFICATIONS
All Knauf Insulation sites, including the manufacturing facilities for products covered by this EPD, are
ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 5001 and OHSAS 18001 certified under the scope "Design, Development
and Production of Insulation Materials and Systems".
PRODUCTION SITES
Data used for the product LCA were collected from Knauf Insulation (Northern Europe)'s two glass
insulation manufacturing facilities in the UK:
Knauf Insulation, Stafford Road, St Helens, Merseyside
Knauf Insulation, Cwmbran, Torfaen, Wales
Glass Mineral Wool (GMW) products contain binder and are manufactured in the form of slabs
and rolls.
In the manufacturing process, recovered waste glass is melted together with other raw materials
needed to achieve glass of the target composition. As molten glass leaves the furnace, it is cooled and
formed into glass fibres. This is transformed directly into the blowing wool product. For mineral wool
products, binder is then applied as a solution prior to the forming and oven-curing of the final product
Both GMW and blowing wool are produced at Knauf Insulation (Northern Europe)'s glass insulation
manufacturing facilities in the UK.
This EPD concerns Glass Mineral Wool products in the form of slabs and rolls compliant with the
requirements of BS EN 13162 These are manufactured by first forming glass fibres, to which a
solution of the binder resin is then applied. Mats of this fibre are formed before curing in an oven yields
the finished product.
The production process for glass mineral wool is shown in the figure below.
Product information
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Glass mineral wool is approximately 95% glass; this comprises recycled glass (external cullet, up to
80% of the composition) with other mineral raw materials - mainly sand and dolomite. The remaining
5% comprises a bio-based resin binder, and small quantities of additives that aid performance.
Glass mineral wool is used for thermal and acoustic insulation in buildings.
The principal performance characteristic of thermal insulation is its thermal conductivity (Lambda, λ).
The product is mainly marketed in Northern Europe, particularly the UK and Scandinavia.
RECYCLED MATERIAL
The external cullet content applied in the LCA for this EPD was taken from 2018 usage data for
Cwmbran and St Helens factories.
END-OF-LIFE
The product may be disposed of as a non-hazardous material, EWC code 17 06 04.
UN CPC
Under the UN CPC classification system v2.1, Knauf Insulation (NE) mineral wool insulation products
are classified CPC 37990.
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The products are intended for use as thermal and/or acoustic insulation in buildings. They comply with
BS EN 13162 and the CE mark.
Key technical properties are shown in the table below; consult the relevant product Technical Data
Sheet for a comprehensive specification.
PARAMETER VALUE
The product is classified as non-hazardous. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
classifies mineral wool fibres in group 3: "not classified as to their carcinogenicity to humans". These
fibres are exempt from carcinogenic classification under European Regulation 1272/2008, having bio-
persistence below the values defined in its note "Q". This exemption is certified by the European
Certification Board (EUCEB, www.euceb.org).
CONTENT DECLARATION
No substance included in the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern for authorisation
under the REACH Regulations is present in these insulation products, either above the threshold for
registration with the European Chemicals Agency or above 0.1% (wt/wt).
DECLARED UNIT
The declared unit is 1m2 at 100mm thickness.
The applicable thermal conductivity is λ 0.034 - 0.035 W/mK.
Indicator values are declared for product with densities: 19.5 kg/m3 and 26.5 kg/m3. If indicator values
for other densities are required, they may be obtained by linear extrapolation of these values.
BEYOND BOUNDARIES
END OF LIFE STAGE
PRODUCT STAGE
PROCESS STAGE
CONSTRUCTION
USE STAGE
RECYCLING- POTENTIAL
RAW MATERIAL SUPPLY
REUSE- RECOVERY-
DE-CONSTRUCTION
WASTE DISPOSAL
MANUFACTURING
REFURBISHMENT
REPLACEMENT
MAINTENANCE
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT
DEMOLITION
ASSEMBLY
DISPOSAL
REPAIR
USE
A A A A A B B C C C C
B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
M M M
X X X X X MND MND MND MND MND N N N X MND X MND
D D D
Modules declared in the EPD: X: included in LCA; MND: module not declared or NR for not relevant
PRODUCT STAGE
This stage includes the extraction and manufacture of raw materials, intermediate products and
energy, as well as waste processing up to the end-of-waste state (i.e. no longer considered a waste
material) or disposal of final residues arising during the product stage.
All upstream resource extraction and manufacturing processes are included in the system. All energy
used in factories and factory support offices is included but energy used in head offices and sales
offices etc. is not. Maintenance of equipment is also excluded.
GLASS MINERAL WOOL WEIGHT (WITHOUT FACING WEIGHT) 1.95 & 2.65 KG
SURFACE 1 M²
THICKNESS 100 MM
VOLUME 0.1 M3
FACING NA
CONSTRUCTION STAGE
Module A4 covers transport of product from the place of manufacture to the construction site. It
includes the transport distance and the relevant transport mode. This module is included in the LCA
using a scenario.
Module A5 covers installation of the product in the building. Glass mineral wool products are installed
manually, therefore module A5 is included in the LCA as product wastage and management of product
packaging after use.
The parameters applied for both modules are shown in the table below.
PARAMETER VALUE
END-OF-LIFE STAGE
Module C2 concerns transport of the end-of-life construction product, after removal from the building,
to a waste processing facility.
Module C4 covers final disposal of the end-of-life construction product.
These modules are included in the LCA using scenarios; the parameters used for these modules are
shown in the table below.
ALLOCATION
In the background data, the ecoinvent default allocation is applied to all processes except those in
which secondary materials are used, where the "cut-off" allocation is applied. This ensures that
secondary materials are free of upstream burdens that arise prior to their reaching the "end of waste"
state; this is in accordance with the PCR and also Section 6.3.4.2 of EN 15804.
Following ISO 14044, the overall process is subdivided as far as possible, so that flows dedicated to a
particular product type are fully assigned to that product type and the need for allocation is minimised.
The "primary energy used as material" indicators (PERM; PENRM) are calculated using - as
characterisation factors - published values for constituent materials which can yield energy on
combustion, where available, and from published calorific values where PEM values are not available.
Calculations of PE(N)RM are based on a feedstock energy content of 47MJ/kg for plastic packaging
film, 16MJ/kg for wood and 14MJ/kg for the biopolymer.
"Primary energy as fuel" indicators (PENRE, PERE) are calculated as the total primary energy
demand minus primary energy used as material.
The secondary material indicator counts recycled glass in the product only.
TIME REPRESENTATIVENESS
Data used for this LCA were collected following guidance in ISO 14044:2006 and cover the 12-month
period January 1 - December 31, 2018.
GLASS MINERAL WOOL INSULATION, Λ 0.034 - 0.035 W/MK, DENSITY 19.5 KG/M3
Environmental indicator results for the A1 - A3 modules on an aggregated basis and the A4, A5, C2 & C4 modules are shown in the following tables for
the declared unit of 1m2 at 100mm thickness (0.1m 3).
TOTAL
INDICATOR UNIT A4 A5 C2 C4
A1-A3
GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL (GWP) KG CO2 EQ. 2.06E+00 3.29E-02 6.47E-02 2.05E-02 1.04E-02
ACIDIFICATION POTENTIAL (AP) KG SO2 EQ. 8.70E-03 8.11E-05 1.80E-04 7.73E-05 7.70E-05
EUTROPHICATION POTENTIAL (EP) KG PO43- EQ. 2.05E-03 1.03E-05 4.57E-05 1.36E-05 1.32E-05
FORMATION POTENTIAL OF
KG C2H4 EQ. 3.10E-04 5.12E-06 6.35E-06 3.42E-06 3.79E-06
TROPOSPHERIC OZONE (POCP)
TOTAL
INDICATOR UNIT A4 A5 C2 C4
A1-A3
MJ,
USE AS ENERGY CARRIER 1.42E+00 6.01E-03 6.67E-02 4.70E-03 7.61E-03
PRIMARY NET CALORIFIC VALUE
ENERGY
MJ,
RESOURCES – USED AS RAW MATERIALS 1.76E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00
RENEWABLE NET CALORIFIC VALUE
(PERE) MJ,
TOTAL 3.18E+00 6.01E-03 6.67E-02 4.70E-03 7.61E-03
NET CALORIFIC VALUE
MJ,
PRIMARY USE AS ENERGY CARRIER 4.26E+01 5.04E-01 8.49E-01 3.15E-01 3.00E-01
NET CALORIFIC VALUE
ENERGY
RESOURCES – MJ,
USED AS RAW MATERIALS 3.71E-01 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00
NON- NET CALORIFIC VALUE
RENEWABLE
(PENRE) MJ,
TOTAL 4.30E+01 5.04E-01 8.49E-01 3.15E-01 3.00E-01
NET CALORIFIC VALUE
MJ,
RENEWABLE SECONDARY FUELS (RSF) 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00
NET CALORIFIC VALUE
NET USE OF FRESH WATER (FW) M3 1.78E-02 9.20E-05 6.44E-04 6.14E-05 3.32E-04
TOTAL
INDICATOR UNIT A4 A5 C2 C4
A1-A3
TOTAL
INDICATOR UNIT A4 A5 C2 C4
A1-A3
Environmental indicator results for the A1 - A3 modules on an aggregated basis and the A4, A5, C2 & C4 modules are shown in the following tables for
the declared unit of 1m2 at 100mm thickness (0.1m 3).
TOTAL
INDICATOR UNIT A4 A5 C2 C4
A1-A3
GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL (GWP) KG CO2 EQ. 2.80E+00 4.47E-02 8.79E-02 2.79E-02 1.42E-02
ACIDIFICATION POTENTIAL (AP) KG SO2 EQ. 1.18E-02 1.10E-04 2.45E-04 1.05E-04 1.05E-04
EUTROPHICATION POTENTIAL (EP) KG PO43- EQ. 2.79E-03 1.41E-05 6.21E-05 1.85E-05 1.80E-05
FORMATION POTENTIAL OF
KG C2H4 EQ. 4.30E-04 6.96E-06 8.62E-06 4.64E-06 5.15E-06
TROPOSPHERIC OZONE (POCP)
TOTAL
INDICATOR UNIT A4 A5 C2 C4
A1-A3
MJ,
USE AS ENERGY CARRIER 1.93E+00 8.16E-03 9.06E-02 6.39E-03 1.03E-02
PRIMARY NET CALORIFIC VALUE
ENERGY
MJ,
RESOURCES – USED AS RAW MATERIALS 2.39E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00
RENEWABLE NET CALORIFIC VALUE
(PERE) MJ,
TOTAL 4.32E+00 8.16E-03 9.06E-02 6.39E-03 1.03E-02
NET CALORIFIC VALUE
MJ,
PRIMARY USE AS ENERGY CARRIER 5.79E+01 6.85E-01 1.15E+00 4.28E-01 4.07E-01
NET CALORIFIC VALUE
ENERGY
RESOURCES – MJ,
USED AS RAW MATERIALS 5.04E-01 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00
NON- NET CALORIFIC VALUE
RENEWABLE
(PENRE) MJ,
TOTAL 5.84E+01 6.85E-01 1.15E+00 4.28E-01 4.07E-01
NET CALORIFIC VALUE
MJ,
RENEWABLE SECONDARY FUELS (RSF) 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00 0.00E+00
NET CALORIFIC VALUE
NET USE OF FRESH WATER (FW) M3 2.42E-02 1.25E-04 8.75E-04 8.35E-05 4.51E-04
TOTAL
INDICATOR UNIT A4 A5 C2 C4
A1-A3
TOTAL
INDICATOR UNIT A4 A5 C2 C4
A1-A3
Waste indicators, and the indicator values obtained for ODP and water use should be used with
caution; all are subject to uncertainties in data or method which limit the scope for their use for
comparison with other products or with other EPD produced using background data from different
sources.
General Programme Instructions Version 2.5 - The International EPD® System - EPD International
AB
ISO 14025
EN ISO 14025:2011-10: Environmental labels and declarations — Type III environmental declarations
— Principles and procedures
EN 15804
EN 15804:2012-04+A1 2013: Sustainability of construction works — Environmental Product
Declarations — Core rules for the product category of construction products
EN 1602
EN 1602: 2013 Thermal insulating products for building applications - Determination of the apparent
density
EN 12667
EN 12667: 2001 Thermal performance of building materials and products - Determination of thermal
resistance by means of guarded hot plate and heat flow meter methods - Products of high and
medium thermal resistance
BS EN 13162
EN 13162:2012 Thermal insulation products for buildings - Factory made mineral wool (MW) products
- Specification
EN 13501-1
EN 13501-1: 2009 Fire classification of construction products and building elements - Part 1:
Classification using test data from reaction to fire tests
BS EN 29767
BS EN ISO 29767:2019: Thermal insulating products for building applications. Determination of short-
term water absorption by partial immersion
LCA of Glass Mineral Wool Insulation with Ecose® (2019) - Report For Knauf Insulation Northern
Europe - EuGeos Limited
Product Category Rules PCR 2012:01. Construction products and construction services. Version 2.3
- The International EPD® System - EPD International AB
EuGeos Limited - UK
Programme operator:
EPD International AB [email protected]