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WAP Sustainability Acquires Atmos AI, Expanding its ESG Reporting Capabilities

We’re excited to announce the acquisition of Atmos AI, a pioneering ESG reporting platform. This acquisition is a significant milestone in WAP Sustainability’s mission to provide comprehensive, user-friendly ESG and sustainability solutions to businesses of all sizes.

"At WAP Sustainability, we are committed to empowering organizations to achieve their sustainability goals through innovative and effective ESG strategies. The integration of Atmos AI's technology into our core ESG services will revolutionize how our customers approach ESG reporting, making it as straightforward as using a platform like TurboTax."
William Paddock
CEO of WAP Sustainability

This acquisition marks the third acquisition in as many years for WAP Sustainability, which has previously purchased Coldstream Consulting & TriSight Engineering to expand its Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) services.

Atmos AI has been at the forefront of ESG reporting technology, offering an intuitive platform that simplifies the complex process of ESG data collection, analysis, and reporting. With this acquisition, WAP Sustainability will enhance its portfolio of services, providing clients with a comprehensive suite of tools for ESG and sustainability reporting needs.

"This collaboration is a significant opportunity for us to expand the reach of our product to thousands of companies on their ESG reporting journey," said Max Mona, Founder of Atmos AI, "the unique combination of expert-level service from WAP Sustainability combined with our platform's user-friendly interface and advanced AI capabilities, will make ESG reporting accessible to more companies than ever before."
Max Mona
Founder of Atmos AI

 

“The acquisition of Atmos AI by WAP Sustainability not only expands our toolkit but also deepens our commitment to making sustainability approachable for all companies.” Jonathan Ursillo, Sustainability Manager and WAP’s lead product specialist highlights this partnership as a milestone in sustainability services.

Wade Fletcher, Founding Engineer and CTO of Atmos AI, also emphasizes the acquisition’s potential to significantly advance ESG reporting technology and practices. “Combining WAP Sustainability’s expert guidance with our self-service, AI-powered technology enables a new hybrid paradigm that will accelerate the evolution of ESG reporting.”

The acquisition comes at a time when ESG reporting is becoming increasingly important for businesses worldwide. With growing awareness of environmental and social issues, companies are under more pressure to disclose their ESG and sustainability performance transparently. The collaboration between WAP Sustainability and Atmos AI is set to meet these growing demands, providing a streamlined, efficient solution for ESG reporting.

 

About Atmos AI

Atmos AI streamlines the Carbon Accounting, GHG Emissions, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting processes for companies of all shapes and sizes. Their innovative DIY platform has transformed the way middle-market companies manage and report their ESG data, making the process more efficient and accessible. Atmos AI raised a Seed Round of $1.7m in early 2022 from GoAhead Ventures, New Climate Ventures, 701 Fund, and WAP Sustainability.

 

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WAP’s William Paddock joins Longview Strategies to Discuss ESG Reporting

WAP Co-Founder William Paddock chats with Evan Zall from Longview Strategies to unpack what the sustainability landscape looks like and where it’s heading. From the evolution of ESG reporting to identifying the ‘green consumer’ to exploring SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative)– they cover where we are in corporate sustainability and how companies can (and should) prepare for the future.

“Organizations just kind of have to prepare themselves that E, S, and G, just like tax, just like accounting, just like legal, is going to have fragmentation and splintering in it…that’s going to be new real life.” 
Watch the full interview below:
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WAP Sustainability, with support from National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) launch Theta EPD for Aggregates

theta

WAP Sustainability is pleased to announce the launch of Theta EPD for Aggregates, the first “EPD on Demand” tool tailored specifically for aggregate producers.

 

WAP Sustainability, the leading U.S. provider of life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declarations (EPDs) services and tools, with support from the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), is pleased to announce the launch of Theta EPD for Aggregates. 

About Theta EPD for Aggregates:
  • Theta Aggregates is the first “EPD on Demand” tool tailored specifically for North American aggregate producers.
  • WAP Sustainability worked closely with NSSGA to provide LCA and EPD expertise during the Product Category Rules (PCR) update process, while in turn learning from NSSGA and its members the specific needs of the aggregates industry.
  • Joining the rapidly growing Theta EPD software family, Theta Aggregate builds on WAPs expertise in LCA and EPD generation for concrete, asphalt, cement, slag, concrete pipe, and other industries.
  • Theta Aggregate EPDs can be used as standalone Environmental Product Declarations for aggregates, or as upstream inputs into Theta Concrete, the Emerald Eco-Label asphalt EPD tool, or other LCAs and EPDs for building products. 
  • Theta Aggregate is part of Theta EPD, the Buy Clean Compliance Software®, which is continually maintained to help producers meet new green procurement initiatives like the GSA’s ongoing pilot for the Buy Clean Inflation Reduction Act Requirements for low embodied carbon construction materials.

“This is an exciting development for our member companies,” says Michele Stanley, Vice President of Government & Regulatory Affairs at NSSGA. “Theta Aggregate offers an industry specific, simplified way to demonstrate requirements necessary within many states and on certain federal projects. We have anxiously awaited the time to come when we can provide a tool like this for our members and it’s here!” 

NSSGA is the voice for the aggregates industry in Washington. Its members consist of stone, sand and gravel producers; industrial sand suppliers; and the equipment manufacturers and service providers who support them. With upwards of 9,000 locations, the aggregates industry produces 2.5 billion tons of materials used annually in the United States. Aggregates are the building blocks of our modern society and are needed to construct and maintain roads, railways, bridges, tunnels, water supply, sewers, electrical grids and telecommunications.

“Theta Aggregate is a huge improvement in ease of EPD creation for construction aggregates,” says Lianna Miller, Sustainability Manager at WAP and lead on the LCA for aggregate products. “It’s been a real pleasure working with the aggregate industry to tailor Theta Aggregate to meet their needs while also ensuring the tool complies with Buy Clean and other green procurement initiatives.”

WAP Sustainability, founded in 2008, is a global consultancy with a proven history of providing service-oriented product sustainability services for brands, manufacturers, and producers. Recognized as #1698 on the 2023 Inc. 5000 List, WAP Sustainability has quickly become one of the world’s leading life cycle assessment (LCA) services firms, with an industry-leading market share in the development of environmental product declarations (EPDs).

As the construction sector requests more transparency documentation on the life cycle impacts of products, the Theta family of EPD tools helps manufacturers to measure, report and disclose the environmental impacts of their products accurately and efficiently. In doing so, manufacturers can differentiate themselves in a carbon aware marketplace while accessing federal and competitive funding sources for future construction products.

 

About NSSGA:

NSSGA is the leading advocate for the aggregates industry. Its members – stone, sand and gravel producers and the equipment manufacturers and service providers who support them – produce the essential raw materials found in homes, buildings, roads, bridges and public works projects. NSSGA represents more than 90 percent of the crushed stone and 70 percent of the sand and gravel produced annually in the United States. Learn more at www.nssga.org.

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WAP’s Josh Jacobs talks all things EPD with Lance Amato

Originally posted on Learnings w/Lance’s Youtube Channel.

This week we brought along Josh Jacobs with WAP Sustainability to talk all things EPD. It was an awesome conversation, so we broke the subject matter into two parts. This week focuses on “What do you need to know when thinking EPD’s, while next week is all about the technical details of the form”.  I would go take a look if you have any interest in this subject!

What the video below!

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Green construction boost as new service provides transparent environmental data on concrete products.

Originally posted on GCCA’s website on July 18, 2023.

 

    • Major step forward for sustainability reporting and green construction

    • Production of Environmental Product Declarations on-demand allows concrete producers to show the environmental impact of their products

    • Governments and authorities are mandating use of EPDs for green construction, for example with introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act in the USA.

The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and consultants WAP Sustainability have taken a major step towards greener construction for the industry, with the launch of on-demand Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for concrete producers in North America. The new EPD on-demand service will enable concrete producers to quickly, accurately and cost effectively produce verified EPDs of their products.

EPDs are becoming a key part of sustainable construction. They allow producers to show the environmental impact of their products across a number of metrics, including global warming potential, often referred to as a carbon footprint. Various US state and local governments have emerging Buy Clean initiatives, which require transparency around embodied emissions and rely on EPDs. Increasingly designers are also requiring EPDs to assess their designs and support their decarbonisation efforts.

 

Andrew Minson, Concrete and Sustainable Construction Director said: “The cement and concrete sector is playing a key part in sustainable construction, but this requires transparent, objective and accessible data on the environmental impact of our products. Our collaboration with WAP will allow concrete producers to quickly and cost effectively produce EPDs that can demonstrate the contribution of their products to a sustainable world of tomorrow.”

James Salazar, EPD Director for WAP said: “WAP’s partnership with the GCCA leverages the GCCA’s industry-leading computation engine with WAP’s easy-to-use software and full-service support. As requirements for EPDs grow, we’re excited to offer credible and low-cost solutions through close partnerships with industry leaders like the GCCA.”

 

Under this partnership, the GCCA EPD calculation engine is integrated into WAP’s EPD On-Demand system (known as Theta EPDTM) to make it cheaper and quicker for North American concrete producers to provide EPDs. The GCCA calculation engine has been independently verified and complies with relevant EPD standards and concrete PCRs. The collaboration with WAP provides a streamlined solution for EPD preparation, documentation and verification to help producers scale EPD production. GCCA and WAP are working to expand their coverage across the world with a focus on Europe.

To find out more information or register for the service please follow this link: https://thetaepd.com/signup/gcca

About the GCCA: The GCCA and its members account for 80% of global cement production capacity outside of China, as well as some key Chinese manufacturers. Member companies have committed to reducing and ultimately eliminating CO2 emissions in concrete (which currently account for around 7% globally), through implementation of the GCCA’s Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap – the first heavy industry to set out such a detailed plan. The GCCA aims to foster innovation throughout the construction value chain in collaboration with industry associations as well as architects, engineers, and innovators.

 

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WAP Sustainability announces the launch of Theta EPD, the Buy Clean Compliance Software®

theta

WAP Sustainability announces the launch of Theta EPD, the Buy Clean Compliance Software® to support GSA Buy Clean Inflation Reduction Act Requirements

 

WAP Sustainability, the leading U.S. provider of life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declarations (EPDs) services and tools, has announced the launch of Theta EPD.

Yesterday, the GSA announced its six-month pilot for the Buy Clean Inflation Reduction Act Requirements for low embodied carbon construction materials. The Pilot will apply GSA’s Interim IRA Low Embodied Carbon Material Requirements into procurement for eleven GSA construction and modernization projects. GSA’s interim requirements are based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Interim Determination that set global warming potential (GWP) limits and environmental product declaration (EPD) requirements for concrete, glass, asphalt and steel.

WAP’s announcement of Theta EPD provides solutions to manufacturers looking to comply with the GSA Pilot. Theta EPD is a software solution that provides LCA and EPD on-demand generation software for the concrete, steel, glass, and asphalt industries to comply with federal, state, and municipal level Buy Clean Policies.

● Theta EPD will provide LCA and EPD generation tools for the concrete, steel, glass, and asphalt industries as well as cement, slag, aggregate, asphalt binders, concrete pipe, and other industries.
● The launch of Theta EPD is linked to WAP’s acquisition of Trisight LLC. who developed the National Asphalt Pavement Association Emerald EcoLabel EPD tool and Coldstream Consulting who maintained a long-standing relationship with the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute as the developer of the Athena Concrete EPD Calculator
● In January, The Athena Institute and WAP Sustainability announced the transfer of the Athena Concrete EPD Calculator to WAP to better enable growth and servicing of this important tool.
● The Athena Concrete EPD Calculator has now been rebranded, expanded, and reintroduced as Theta EPD for Concrete.
● With the launch of Theta EPD, WAP reinforces its role in helping companies and industry associations comply with the Federal Buy Clean Initiative EPD Requirements, specifically for steel, concrete, asphalt, and glass producers.

Theta EPD is officially an “EPD on-demand” software tool. The user-friendly online interface allows clients to upload product level information and generate product specific EPDs in minutes. Theta EPD users can select from three different services and pricing models that provide varying levels of technical support.

“You press the buttons”.
For this option, Theta offers a licensed version of software where the manufacturer can enter information and generate the EPD independently. Limited support and training provided.

“WAP presses the buttons”.
In this option, WAP works for the user to collect, organize, and process data to optimize the LCA and EPD within Theta EPD. We essentially do the LCA and EPD for you.

“We press the buttons together”.
In the final option, WAP and the client have the option to work together in a hybrid structure to complete the LCA and EPD within Theta EPD. WAP provides a fixed level of support in addition to the software license.

“We built Theta EPD to meet the market where the market is. Contrary to popular belief, software and especially LCA software, doesn’t run itself or only take one click. Software needs a dedicated user who can spend the time learning, using, and maximizing the software to its full potential. We find it helps when that user also knows the fundamentals of LCAs and EPDs along with the consequences of their button clicks” said William Paddock, Managing Director of WAP Sustainability. “In all our years of experience, we have met many capable people who don’t need WAP’s full-service approach, but there are many others that are busy making steel, glass, and concrete who could use WAP’s help. Our goal is to provide a solution for everyone.”

WAP Sustainability, founded in 2008, is a global consultancy with a proven history of providing service-oriented product sustainability services for brands, manufacturers, and producers. Recognized as #2067 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 List, WAP Sustainability has quickly become one of the world’s leading life cycle assessment (LCA) services firms, with an industry-leading market share in the development of environmental product declarations (EPDs).

In September, the White House announced its Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which requires and incentivizes the purchase of products with Environmental Product Declarations that also meet low carbon performance requirements. Other states including California, Colorado, New York and New Jersey have also passed forms of Buy Clean Legislation impacting manufacturers that produce or sell products into those markets.

“Theta EPD is ‘the Buy Clean Compliance software’. The software allows quick and easy EPD generation for all the impacted product categories outlined in the Federal Buy Clean Initiative and also provides access to WAP’s policy insights, Buy Clean compliance checks and customer specific GWP thresholds that can be utilized to benchmark between competitors”, said Josh Jacobs, Director of Sustainability at WAP Sustainability.

As the construction sector requests more transparency documentation on the life cycle impacts of products, the Theta EPD tool helps manufacturers to measure, report and disclose the environmental impacts of their products accurately and efficiently. In doing so, manufacturers can differentiate themselves in a carbon aware marketplace while accessing federal and competitive funding sources for future construction products.

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WAP Sustainability announces the acquisition of Coldstream Consulting

Coldstream Consulting logo

WAP Sustainability, a leading U.S. provider of life cycle assessment (LCAs) and environmental product declarations (EPDs), has announced that it has acquired Coldstream Consulting out of Revelstoke, British Columbia. 

● This is WAP Sustainability’s second LCA acquisition of 2022. The company previously announced its purchase of Trisight Engineering in September.  
● The acquisition of Coldstream Consulting provides WAP Sustainability a Canadian presence through Coldstream’s long-standing relationship with the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute.
● With Coldstream’s industry experience in Concrete, Wood, and other building products, WAP is poised to help companies comply with new GSA & Federal Buy Clean Initiative EPD Requirements, specifically steel, concrete, asphalt, and glass producers. 
● The additions of Trisight Engineering and Coldstream provide WAP with industry-leading experience in developing and deploying EPD Automation and Software Tools. 

WAP Sustainability, founded in 2008, is a global consultancy with a proven history of providing operational and product sustainability services for brands, manufacturers, and producers. Recognized as #2067 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 List, WAP Sustainability has quickly become one of the world’s leading life cycle assessment (LCA) services firms, with an industry-leading market share in the development of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). 

“Culturally, we found so much in common. WAP and Coldstream have always been committed to overservicing our clients while making sustainability accessible, understandable, and actionable”, says Brad McAllister, Co-Founder and Director of Operations for WAP Sustainability. “We’ve known and worked with James for nearly a decade, and we knew his firm would make us a stronger force as we continue to pursue growth in this important sector.”

“We knew WAP was the right partner from the minute we started this conversation,” said James Salazar, Founder of Coldstream Consulting. “Working together under one roof to solve LCA and EPD challenges in the market is something we knew we would be more successful working on together rather than independently.”

At COP 26 in Glasgow, WAP announced the launch of the “Sector Supplement for Measuring and Accounting for Embodied Emissions in the Built Environment” with the World Resource Institute (WRI) and GHG Protocol. This method empowers an organization to measure and account for the embodied emissions associated with the wood, concrete, steel, glass, and flooring used in building buildings. In September, the White House announced its Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which expands on the WRI Sector Supplement by requiring and incentivizing purchases of products with Environmental Product Declarations, which are a core feature of the WRI Sector Supplement. 

“Partnering with Coldstream helps WAP meet the growing demand for LCAs and EPDs as a result of the market’s goal to decarbonize building and infrastructure materials,” said William Paddock, WAP Co-Founder and Managing Director. “Many companies we work with need LCA and EPD expertise to meet market demands and regulatory requirements for EPDs, and WAP is here to help. We’ve long found ourselves aligned with Coldstream, and the timing made sense to come together and strengthen our offerings for a growing market”.

About Coldstream Consulting
Founded in 2011, Coldstream Consulting offers metric-based approaches to personal and corporate environmental sustainability. Its mission is to provide our clients with solutions that are rooted in the best available science. We have in-depth experience developing and working with LCA databases, tools, and standards. We also understand that taking a science-based approach to sustainability means that effective communication of complex issues is critical.

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WAP Sustainability announced as newest Cradle to Cradle Certified® Assessor

Certified Cradle to Cradle Products Program

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA, October 10, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — WAP Sustainability, a leading U.S. provider of sustainability and product transparency services, has announced that it has been officially approved as an Assessor for the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program.

● WAP Sustainability joins other leading firms globally in supporting companies in the pursuit of Cradle to Cradle Certified® products
● The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard is the world’s most ambitious and actionable standard for making and verifying products today that enable a healthy, equitable, and circular tomorrow.
● Cradle to Cradle Certified® is recognized as one of the approved certifications under the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly program (and other leading retailers’ initiatives)
● WAP Sustainability will help companies navigate the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard Version 4.0 as a new assessor, drawing on the firm’s deep industry experience in life cycle assessment and material health

WAP Sustainability, founded in 2008, is a global consultancy with a history of providing technical sustainability and product sustainability services for brands, manufacturers, and producers. WAP Sustainability is a leading life cycle assessment (LCA) services firm with a large market share in the development of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Recognized in 2022 as #2067 on the Inc. 5000 list, WAP Sustainability’s approval as an assessor provides WAP clients an additional value added service offering.

“The opportunity to help companies navigate the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program is frankly a dream come true and also an important ask from our clients” said William Paddock, WAP Co-Founder and Managing Director. “I’ve been influenced deeply by William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart ‘s book, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, and we are over the moon to help companies address the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program’s five critical categories of sustainability performance”.

“The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is delighted to welcome WAP Sustainability to the global community of Cradle to Cradle Certified® Assessors. Their technical expertise and experience across industries is a relevant addition to our program, bringing added value to the many companies that plan to have their products and materials Cradle to Cradle Certified in the future. We look forward to working with WAP Sustainability to build a world where materials, products and systems positively impact people and the planet” said Dr. Susan Klosterhaus, Vice President of Science and Certification at the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

The Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard is the world’s most ambitious and actionable standard for designing and making products today that enable a healthy, circular and equitable future. From fashion to flooring and cosmetics to electronics, thousands of products are Cradle to Cradle Certified. To achieve certification, products are assessed across five critical categories of sustainability performance: Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Water and Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness.

WAP’s expertise and experience comes at a critical time as the new Cradle to Cradle Certified® Version 4.0 builds on the legacy of previous versions of the standard by better equipping brands, retailers, designers, and manufacturers with guidance and best practices for choosing safer materials, driving meaningful innovation, and creating lower carbon products, systems and business models. This holistic vision and approach drives positive impact on humans and the environment today and in the future.

“WAP is excited to help make it easier, quicker, and faster for manufacturers and producers to pursue C2C Certification and material health assessments in order to comply with the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program. Our team is ready and standing by to help clients navigate this industry leading certification” said Genna Heath, WAP Sustainability’s Director of Toxicology & Material Health.

About Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute
The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is dedicated to powering the circular economy through products, materials, systems and business models that have a positive impact on people and planet. Through the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program, the Institute sets the global standard for products that are safe, circular and responsibly made. For more than a decade, leading brands, designers, retailers and manufacturers across the value chain have relied on the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard to innovate and optimize materials, products and systems for immediate and long-term positive impacts. Cradle to Cradle Certified has long been regarded as the world’s most trusted and advanced science-based standard for designing and manufacturing products that maximize health and wellbeing for people and our planet, providing a comprehensive and holistic assessment framework across different sustainability performance categories. The Institute also powers the global shift to a circular economy through partnerships and collaborative initiatives that equip businesses, governments and other stakeholders with the technical frameworks and knowledge they need to transform the way products are designed and made. The Institute was founded in 2010 and is operating globally as a non-profit organization. It is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and San Francisco, California.

About WAP Sustainability
WAP Sustainability provides clients with the information and tools they need to create credible, measurable, and attainable sustainability programs. Our services are driven by sound scientific data and an in-depth understanding of each client’s core business. With deep rooted experience in carbon accounting, life cycle assessment and standards development, WAP is globally recognized as a technical sustainability expert in many industries. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, WAP Sustainability has been helping a global roster of publicly traded, consumer product and building product companies as a sustainability resource for nearly 15 years. Learn more at www.wapsustainability.com.

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WAP Sustainability expands LCA & EPD capabilities with purchase of Trisight Engineering

triSight

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA, September 26, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — — WAP Sustainability, a global life cycle assessment services provider, has announced that it has acquired Trisight Engineering, a leader in life cycle assessments for the asphalt and construction products industries.

• WAP Sustainability has acquired Trisight Engineering to further its LCA and EPD capabilities
• WAP currently helps global companies to understand their climate impacts including carbon footprints while also delivering compliance focused environmental product declarations (EPDs)
• With Trisight’s deep industry experience, WAP is poised to lead companies in complying with new Federal Buy Clean Initiative EPD Requirements, specifically steel, concrete, asphalt and glass producers.

WAP Sustainability, founded in 2008, is a global consultancy with a history of providing technical sustainability and ESG services for brands, manufacturers, and producers. WAP Sustainability is a leading life cycle assessment (LCA) services firm, with a large market share in development of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Recognized in 2022 as #2067 on the Inc. 5000 list, WAP Sustainability’s acquisition of Trisight creates a growth opportunity for tech enabled LCA and EPD services.

“We see this partnership with Trisight as an exciting opportunity to accelerate how we help our clients understand the carbon impacts of their products,” said William Paddock, WAP Co-Founder and Managing Director. “Many of the companies we work with are in need of deep LCA and EPD services to meet market demands for EPDs and WAP will be there to help. I am proud to welcome Trisight and its experienced, accomplished, and passionate team to WAP.”

“Joining WAP gives our team a platform to leverage WAP’s extensive industry knowledge and client base to create the premier LCA provider in North America,” said Lianna Miller, Trisight Co-Founder and Partner. “The opportunity to help more clients understand product level emissions allows us to increase our impact in the world. Joining teams with WAP will allow us to fast-track adoption of our tech-enabled LCA and EPD processes as well as digital EPD development”.

WAP recently announced the launch of the “Sector Supplement for Measuring and Accounting for Embodied Emissions in the Built Environment” with the World Resource Institute (WRI). This method empowers organization to measure and account for the embodied emissions associated with the wood, concrete, steel, glass, and flooring used in building buildings. Last week’s announcement from The White House on a Federal Buy Clean Initiative expands on the WRI Sector Supplement by requiring and incentivizing purchases of products with Environmental Product Declarations, which are a core feature of the WRI Sector Supplement.

“Together, WAP and Trisight will make it easier, quicker and faster for manufacturers and producers to conduct LCAs and create EPDs in order to comply with the new Federal Buy Clean Initiative. This collaboration further demonstrates WAP’s commitment to being the market leader in LCA and EPDs”, said Brad McAllister, Co-Founder and Operations Director of WAP Sustainability.

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WRI approves WAP/BW’s Sector Supplement for Measuring Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment

Built On GHG Protocol

Launched at World Building Day at COP26, the new methodology seeks to advance measuring and reporting of Embodied Carbon

Today, WRI announced the preliminary approval of the “Sector Supplement for Measuring and Accounting for Embodied Emissions in the Built Environment” as the document is in process to receive Built on GHG Protocol Mark. Once finalized, the Supplement will be available on WRI’s website at https://ghgprotocol.org/Guidance-Built-on-GHG-Protocol“

Embodied carbon emissions come from materials used to construct a building. The wood, concrete, steel, glass, and flooring used in making buildings has a carbon impact that is described as the “embodied carbon” of a building or building material. Managing the way buildings are built with embodied carbon in mind is a highly effective strategy for decarbonizing the built environment.

Traditional decarbonization strategies in the built environment focused only on energy efficiency and the reduction of “operational carbon”. While still important, the success of the building industry in reducing energy use (i.e. operational carbon) has led to the spotlight being turned to embodied carbon as the largest contributor of emissions in the built environment (51% of a buildings total emissions are now believed to be “embodied”).

Brightworks Sustainability and WAP Sustainability began working with a coalition of embodied carbon leaders in late 2019 called the Total Carbon Coalition. The challenge was connecting embodied carbon opportunities with corporate carbon accounting practices. Most organizations with significant real estate holdings were not measuring and accounting for the “purchased goods” associated with their buildings.

“We noticed that embodied carbon impacts were missing in most corporate GHG accounting and quickly realized that significant percentages of emissions were not being accounted for. Digging deeper we realized the challenge was how to account for those emissions.” said William Paddock, Co-Founder and Managing Director of WAP Sustainability

The accounting insight led to discussions with clients on how to use the WRI’s GHG Protocols to account for embodied carbon emissions and realized there was some ambiguity in how to do so. The Brightworks and WAP teams approached their own clients and WRI to determine the best path forward, which was to write the Sector Supplement for Measuring and Accounting for Embodied Emissions in the Built Environment using WRI’s Built on GHG Process. The outcome is a comprehensive approach that aligns with the principles of the GHG Protocol to account for embodied carbon in as Scope 3 emissions.

Cynthia Cummis, Director of Private Sector Climate Mitigation, WRI worked with the WAP and Brightworks team on the revisions of the method stating, “The Built on GHG Protocol mark provides validation that  WAP’s guidance is in conformance with GHG Protocol standards and we are excited about the opportunities this resource provides to  scale up GHG accounting and management across the built environment value chain.  Embodied emissions in buildings present a significant opportunity for emissions reductions and we hope this guidance provides the clarity needed for the sector to take more ambitious action.”

“Empowering consistent Embodied Carbon Accounting is just the beginning. We need to align this approach with embodied carbon approaches in green building standards like LEED, drive embodied carbon awareness within the investment community through additional work with SASB and PRI. And finally, we hope to play a role in the development of a sector decarbonization approach within SBTi”, Jeff Frost, Project Manager for Brightworks Sustainability.

Wes Sullens, Director of LEED at the U.S. Green Building Council added that “The USGBC is all-in on embodied carbon and we applaud the work of these leaders in developing a more standardized way of accounting for the full carbon impacts of green buildings. We see this Methodology as a critical stepping-stone for more meaningful embodied carbon accountability and commitments, especially as a complement to aggressive energy conservation and renewable energy strategies found in LEED”.