Grant Westfield, UK manufacturer of wall panel brand Multipanel, and newly launched Naturepanel, has announced the publication of an EPD (an environmental product declaration).
Grant Westfield’s EPD is a certification that is produced by conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of its products. The analysis looks at the full product lifecycle of Grant Westfield’s products, from the product construction, raw materials, packaging, transportation, and installation process to how the product is disposed of at the end of its life.
How can tradespeople, architects and specifiers use EPDs?
EPDs can be used to compare and select products that have the lightest impact on the environment. In the pledge to reach net zero by 2050, builders, architects and specifiers can use EPDs to compare the impacts of materials at the product selection stage, ensuring that the most sustainable options are specified. This allows designers to increase the number of points a building receives, which in turn can increase the market value of a project and reduce the overall ownership costs.
Michael Dobson, sales director, Grant Westfield, said: “At Grant Westfield we understand the importance of a transparent supply chain and our EPD certification provides specifiers, architects and builders greater visibility on the environmental impact of materials, helping them make more sustainable choices.
“Our panels are manufactured in Britain, using raw materials sourced in the UK and Ireland, it’s efficient to transport and requires less energy to produce than ceramic tiles. Choosing Multipanel or Naturepanel over tiles results in a 60% CO2 reduction, in 2023 that reduction was the equivalent to driving around the Earth’s circumference 628 times! The publication of our EPD through an official program operator helps verify this significant environmental impact, and we’re proud to share the results.”
Other examples of CO2 savings if wall panels were chosen instead of tiles include:
- In a residential home, choosing panels over tiles would save the equivalent of a kettle being boiled 2235 times
- If all new built homes in the UK in 2023 used wall panels instead of tiles, the CO2 reduction would equate to enough energy to run 2500 homes for the year.
There is also new guidance by NHBC (Technical 9.2/06) which comes into force from 1 July 2024, which introduces the need for additional impervious waterproofing material behind ceramic tiles. This added layer will have further environmental impact when choosing tiles during a bathroom refit.
In addition to its EPD, Grant Westfield has also obtained FSC® certification [FSC 128180] for its products, ensuring that materials are responsibly sourced from managed forests and controlled sources. The company also implements a range of environmental and sustainability initiatives within its manufacturing and design processes, including sourcing materials locally and recycling post-production waste into biomass fuel and other products.
Grant Westfield’s bathroom wall panels, which hold a 30-year guarantee and are 100% recyclable, exemplify the company’s commitment to longevity and sustainability. By offering durable, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional wall coverings, Grant Westfield aims to minimise environmental impact while promoting a circular economy.
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