Kingspan Insulated Panels North America has released an environmental product declaration (EPD) for its K-Roc™ HF Series insulated metal panels (IMPs). EPDs have become the industry standard for identifying the best building materials to lower embodied carbon in the built environment. 

Embodied carbon is the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with all stages of a product’s life – from cradle to grave. The built environment generates 42% of annual global CO2 emissions. Now more than ever, it is crucial to identify and manufacture materials with lower embodied carbon. 

Similar to a food nutrition label, EPDs show raw material extraction, energy and water use, ozone depletion potential (ODP), smog creation, waste generation and total emissions to air, soil and water. 

Industry-wide EPDs represent average environmental impacts for specific product types. While these serve as great benchmarks, product-specific EPDs like this offer more detailed, granular data for a specific manufacturer's products and can help architects, contractors and building owners make more informed building material choices. 

The K-Roc™ HF Series EPD shows a global warming potential (GWP) of 4.22 KgCO2/ft2 for an 8-inch IMP thickness, 3.87 KgCO2/ft2 for a 6-inch IMP thickness, and 3.53 KgCO2/ft2 for a 4-inch IMP thickness. 

Kingspan’s K-Roc HF series uses a mineral fiber insulation core to provide exceptional fire protection. Available in 4-, 6- and 8-inch thicknesses, the series delivers up to a three-hour fire rating in wall applications and a one-hour fire rating in ceiling applications. These products are available in five different profiles with external and internal skins in embossed or non-embossed finishes to fit an array of aesthetic styles. They are used in commercial, industrial, institutional and refrigerated buildings due to their thermal efficiency and ease of installation. 

Kingspan created the first-of-its-kind cradle-to-grave UL Certified ISO compliant EPD in September 2011.  Since then, the company has conducted many revisions to document its journey of continuous improvement. 

Kingspan is committed to making a positive impact on three global challenges – climate change, circularity and the protection of the natural world – through Planet Passionate, its 10-year sustainability commitment. EPDs like this help the company identify areas where products and processes can be improved to lower GWP and accelerate participation in the circular economy. 

“We have extremely ambitious goals for sustainability through Planet Passionate, and the panels we produce play a vital role in achieving these goals,” said Brent Trenga, director of sustainability for Kingspan Insulated Panels North America. “Product-specific EPDs like the K-Roc HF EPD help us understand where we can better our operations and help architects and contractors make informed decisions for their building materials.” 

Kingspan’s K-Roc HF series is currently manufactured in its Langley facility in British Columbia, Canada. Kingspan recently announced it will open a new site in Mattoon, Illinois, where the K-Roc HF series will also be manufactured.  

To view the full EPD, click here.  

To learn more about Planet Passionate, click here. 

For more information on Kingspan Insulated Panels North America, visit www.kingspanpanels.us.