EPD Benchmark for Asphalt Mixtures
Authored by WAP Sustainability, third-party reviewed, and published in February 2024, this NAPA-commissioned report examines data derived from NAPA’s Emerald Eco-Label EPD program, and a sample of facility and mixture specific EPD data collected independently to develop a benchmark for asphalt mixture Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). The study evaluated Asphalt Mixtures (UNSPSC 30111509) and was guided by NAPA’s Product Category Rules for Asphalt Mixtures v2.0. This is a benchmark study and not a Product Category Rule or an Environmental Product Declaration, complete conformance with ISO 21930 is not guaranteed.
Download the Report
NAPA’s Verified EPD Tool
Emerald Eco-Label, NAPA’s verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) tool, makes it easy to quantify the environmental impact of an asphalt mix. Created by industry professionals and stakeholders and evaluated by sustainability experts, the Emerald Eco-Label EPD tool was developed in conformance with ISO 14025, ISO 21930, and the Product Category Rules (PCR) for Asphalt Mixtures. These standards establish the principles and procedures for developing a Type III environmental declaration program and prescribe specific rules for asphalt mixture EPDs.
Why Emerald Eco-Label?
A New Era of Green Construction
The green construction market is focused on product transparency. As a result, green construction rating systems – such as LEED v4, Greenroads, INVEST, and Envision – are structuring credits that encourage the use of products with life-cycle information communicated through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) or that demonstrate through life-cycle assessment (LCA) a reduced environmental impact. V2.0 of the Emerald Eco-Label EPD tool gives a contractor's customer the ability to earn one point for the EPD LEED credit.
Road owners, agencies, and contractors need to share quantifiable metrics of sustainability and environmental impact with stakeholders. This might be as simple as a benchmark of what they are doing right now, or contractors and road owners might be asked to demonstrate a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The Emerald Eco-Label can help asphalt producers benchmark their asphalt mixtures to assist their customers in meeting their environmental goals. Requests for EPDs are already starting, and other paving materials already are using EPDs to win projects.