EPD additional content Cascadia Universal Series™ Window Wall
Data
Background This product-specific declaration was created by collecting production data from the British Columbia, Canada location. Secondary data sources include those available in ecoinvent v3.10 and US-EI 2.2 databases.
Allocation The PCR prescribes where and how allocation occurs. Since only facility-level data were available, allocation among the facility's other products was necessary to determine the input and output flows associated with the product. To accurately allocate electricity and natural gas used at the facility to window, door, and window wall production, the total annual energy consumption was calculated through labor unit allocation, which proportionally assesses the percentage of manufacturing activities for each product type versus total annual labor activities. Additionally, no co‐products were produced during the fabrication processes.
Cut-off criteria for the inclusion of mass and energy flows are 1% of renewable primary resource (energy) usage, 1% nonrenewable primary resource (energy) usage, 1% of the total mass input of that unit process, and 1% of environmental impacts. The total of neglected input flows per module does not exceed 5% of energy usage, mass, and environmental impacts. The only exceptions to these criteria are substances with hazardous and toxic properties, which must be listed even when the given process unit is under the cut-off criterion of 1% of the total mass.
No known flows are deliberately excluded from this declaration, and no substances considered to be hazardous or toxic according to the TRI or local regulations are present in the products. Therefore, these criteria have been met. Biogenic carbon is included in reported results.
Quality of inventory data is judged by its precision (measured, calculated, or estimated), completeness (e.g., unreported emissions), consistency (degree of uniformity of the methodology applied on a study serving as a data source), and representativeness (geographical, temporal, and technological).
To ensure reliable results, first-hand industry data in combination with consistent background LCA information from SimaPro and LCI databases were used. Primary data associated with the manufacturing process was collected and checked for mass balance and data inventory completeness. Background data were sourced primarily from the ecoinvent database, and other databases were used if data were not available in ecoinvent or the data set was judged to be more representative. Other methodological choices were made consistently throughout the model. The data set is considered complete based on a review between the LCA team and key Cascadia stakeholders. Where country-specific data were unavailable, global or rest-of-world averages were used to represent transportation in those locations. Additionally, no proxy data were used to represent materials and therefore did not have a significant impact of the results.
The following data sets were used in the LCA for modeling glazing:
- Flat glass, uncoated, at plant/US- US-EI U
- Flat glass, coated, at plant/US- US-EI U
- Aluminum, production mix, at plant/US- US-EI U
- Sheet rolling, aluminium/US- US-EI U
- Argon, liquid, at plant/US- US-EI U
- Zeolite, powder, at plant/RER S
- Polybutadiene, at plant/US- US-EI U
- Polysulphide, sealing compound, at plant/US- US-EI
Major system boundary exclusions:
- Construction of major capital equipment & maintenance and operation of support equipment
- Human labor and employee transport
- Manufacture, transport, and disposal of packaging materials not associated with the final product
- Building operational energy and water use
Major assumptions and limitations:
- Primary data were modeled based on the information provided by Cascadia and supplemented by the technical and safety data sheets provided.
- Since energy inputs were not available on a per-product basis, electricity and natural gas consumption were allocated based on the percentage of labor units per product.
- Generic data sets used are considered good quality, but actual impacts from material suppliers, transport carriers, and waste processing may vary.
Calculate addition of operable windows or doors into window wall configuration
To calculate the results of 1m2 of Window Wall Vision Glass in a window wall configuration that includes operable windows (Casement Window, Awning Window, Tilt & Turn Window, and Hopper Window), use the following equation:
Window Wall Vision Glass results +
[Tilt & Turn frame-only results - Fixed Window frame-only results]
To calculate the results of a window wall configuration which includes single or double swing doors, use the following equation:
Window Wall Vision Glass results +
[Single Swing Door frame-only results - Fixed Window frame-only results]
To calculate the results of a window wall configuration which includes sliding doors, use the following equation:
Window Wall Vision Glass results +
[Sliding Door frame-only results - Fixed Window frame-only results]
Scenarios and additional technical information
Installation [A5] Biogenic carbon emissions generated in the installation phase stem from wood crates used as packaging. While the impacts from installation are out of the scope of this cradle-to-gate study, ISO 21930:2017 requires that biogenic carbon emissions associated with packaging disposed after product installation be separately reported. The table below shows that the biogenic carbon removals from packaging in the manufacturing stage (A3) are then accounted for as biogenic carbon emissions from packaging in the installation stage (A5).
| Product | Biogenic carbon emissions associated with installation [A5] (kg CO2) |
| Universal Series™ Window Wall Vision Glass | 7.88E-02 |
| Universal Series™ Window Wall Spandrel Glass | 7.88E-02 |
| Universal Series™ Window Wall Bypass | 7.88E-02 |
Flow diagram
Scaling factors: double-glazed to triple-glazed
Results in this EPD are presented assuming a default double-glazed option; however, Window Wall Vision Glass is also available in a triple-glazed configuration. In order to calculate results for triple-glazed Vision Glass, multiply the results in each impact category by their associated product-specific scaling factor shown here:
| Impact category | Scaling factor for Window Wall Vision Glass |
| Ozone depletion | 1.42 |
| Global warming | 1.25 |
| Smog | 1.31 |
| Acidification | 1.32 |
| Eutrophication | 1.30 |
| Carcinogenics | 1.35 |
| Non carcinogenics | 1.28 |
| Respiratory effects | 1.23 |
| Ecotoxicity | 1.16 |
| Fossil fuel depletion | 1.26 |
Universal Series™ Window Wall Vision Glass system: LCIA results, resource use, output and waste flows, and carbon emissions & removals per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
Resource use indicators |
|||||
Renewable primary energy used as energy carrier (fuel) |
MJ, NCV |
1.04E+02 |
1.59E-01 |
8.51E+01 |
1.89E+02 |
Renewable primary resources with energy content used as material |
MJ, NCV |
1.30E+01 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
1.30E+01 |
Total use of renewable primary resources with energy content |
MJ, NCV |
1.17E+02 |
1.59E-01 |
8.51E+01 |
2.02E+02 |
Non-renewable primary resources used as an energy carrier (fuel) |
MJ, NCV |
1.39E+03 |
1.04E+02 |
1.63E+02 |
1.65E+03 |
Non-renewable primary resources with energy content used as material |
MJ, NCV |
7.66E+01 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
7.66E+01 |
Total use of non-renewable primary resources with energy content |
MJ, NCV |
1.46E+03 |
1.04E+02 |
1.63E+02 |
1.73E+03 |
Secondary materials |
kg |
3.92E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
8.12E-01 |
4.73E+00 |
Renewable secondary fuels |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
5.40E-01 |
5.40E-01 |
Non-renewable secondary fuels |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Recovered energy |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Use of net fresh water resources |
m3 |
2.23E+01 |
2.07E-01 |
7.29E-01 |
2.32E+01 |
Abiotic depletion (fossil fuels) |
MJ, LHV |
1.23E+03 |
9.75E+01 |
1.47E+02 |
1.47E+03 |
Output flows and waste category indicators |
|||||
Hazardous waste disposed |
kg |
5.97E+00 |
2.20E-02 |
8.21E-04 |
6.00E+00 |
Non-hazardous waste disposed |
kg |
5.97E+00 |
8.91E-02 |
1.22E-02 |
6.07E+00 |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
7.38E-05 |
1.16E-06 |
6.91E-06 |
8.19E-05 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
9.34E-04 |
2.26E-06 |
3.57E-06 |
9.40E-04 |
Components for re-use |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
8.12E-01 |
8.12E-01 |
Materials for recycling |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
4.30E-02 |
4.30E-02 |
Materials for energy recovery |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Exported energy |
MJ |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbon emissions and removals |
|||||
Biogenic Carbon Removal from Product |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Product |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Biogenic Carbon Removal from Packaging |
kg CO2 |
7.88E-02 |
0.00E+00 |
5.39E-01 |
6.18E-01 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Packaging |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
7.88E-02 |
7.88E-02 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Combustion of Waste from Renewable Sources Used in Production Processes |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Calcination Carbon Emissions |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbonation Carbon Removals |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbon Emissions from Combustion of Waste from Non-Renewable Sources used in Production Processes |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
High and low-level radioactive waste reported by A1-A3 modules for Window Wall Vision Glass (frame only) per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
7.38E-05 |
8.07E-07 |
2.50E-06 |
7.71E-05 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
2.36E-04 |
1.58E-06 |
1.30E-06 |
2.39E-04 |
High and low-level radioactive waste reported by A1-A3 modules for Window Wall Vision Glass (glazing only) per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
3.57E-07 |
4.41E-06 |
4.77E-06 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
7.00E-04 |
6.94E-07 |
2.28E-06 |
7.03E-04 |
Universal Series™ Window Wall Spandrel Glass system: LCIA results, resource use, output and waste flows, and carbon emissions & removals per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
Resource use indicators |
|||||
Renewable primary energy used as energy carrier (fuel) |
MJ, NCV |
9.80E+01 |
1.38E-01 |
8.46E+01 |
1.83E+02 |
Renewable primary resources with energy content used as material |
MJ, NCV |
1.30E+01 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
1.30E+01 |
Total use of renewable primary resources with energy content |
MJ, NCV |
1.11E+02 |
1.38E-01 |
8.46E+01 |
1.96E+02 |
Non-renewable primary resources used as an energy carrier (fuel) |
MJ, NCV |
9.61E+02 |
9.00E+01 |
1.62E+02 |
1.21E+03 |
Non-renewable primary resources with energy content used as material |
MJ, NCV |
2.72E+02 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
2.72E+02 |
Total use of non-renewable primary resources with energy content |
MJ, NCV |
1.23E+03 |
9.00E+01 |
1.62E+02 |
1.48E+03 |
Secondary materials |
kg |
3.92E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
8.12E-01 |
4.74E+00 |
Renewable secondary fuels |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
5.40E-01 |
5.40E-01 |
Non-renewable secondary fuels |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Recovered energy |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Use of net fresh water resources |
m3 |
2.36E+01 |
1.78E-02 |
7.23E-01 |
2.44E+01 |
Abiotic depletion (fossil fuels) |
MJ, LHV |
1.06E+03 |
8.45E+01 |
1.46E+02 |
1.29E+03 |
Output flows and waste category indicators |
|||||
Hazardous waste disposed |
kg |
7.69E+00 |
4.05E-04 |
8.15E-04 |
7.69E+00 |
Non-hazardous waste disposed |
kg |
6.68E+00 |
5.33E-03 |
1.21E-02 |
6.70E+00 |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
9.24E-05 |
1.01E-06 |
6.86E-06 |
1.00E-04 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
7.02E-04 |
1.62E-06 |
2.37E-06 |
7.06E-04 |
Components for re-use |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
8.12E-01 |
8.12E-01 |
Materials for recycling |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
4.30E-02 |
4.30E-02 |
Materials for energy recovery |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Exported energy |
MJ |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbon emissions and removals |
|||||
Biogenic Carbon Removal from Product |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Product |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Biogenic Carbon Removal from Packaging |
kg CO2 |
7.88E-02 |
0.00E+00 |
5.39E-01 |
6.18E-01 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Packaging |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
7.88E-02 |
7.88E-02 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Combustion of Waste from Renewable Sources Used in Production Processes |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Calcination Carbon Emissions |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbonation Carbon Removals |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbon Emissions from Combustion of Waste from Non-Renewable Sources used in Production Processes |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
High and low-level radioactive waste reported by A1-A3 modules for Window Wall Spandrel Glass (frame only) per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
9.24E-05 |
8.31E-07 |
4.33E-06 |
9.76E-05 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
3.52E-04 |
1.62E-06 |
2.24E-06 |
3.56E-04 |
High and low-level radioactive waste reported by A1-A3 modules for Window Wall Spandrel Glass (glazing only) per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
1.79E-07 |
2.53E-06 |
2.71E-06 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
3.50E-04 |
0.00E+00 |
1.33E-07 |
3.50E-04 |
Universal Series™ Window Wall Bypass system: LCIA results, resource use, output and waste flows, and carbon emissions & removals per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
Resource use indicators |
|||||
Renewable primary energy used as energy carrier (fuel) |
MJ, NCV |
4.88E+01 |
3.28E-02 |
4.23E+01 |
9.11E+01 |
Renewable primary resources with energy content used as material |
MJ, NCV |
6.09E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
6.09E+00 |
Total use of renewable primary resources with energy content |
MJ, NCV |
5.48E+01 |
3.28E-02 |
4.23E+01 |
9.72E+01 |
Non-renewable primary resources used as an energy carrier (fuel) |
MJ, NCV |
7.93E+02 |
2.14E+01 |
8.10E+01 |
8.95E+02 |
Non-renewable primary resources with energy content used as material |
MJ, NCV |
7.21E-01 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
7.21E-01 |
Total use of non-renewable primary resources with energy content |
MJ, NCV |
7.93E+02 |
2.14E+01 |
8.10E+01 |
8.96E+02 |
Secondary materials |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
4.06E-01 |
4.06E-01 |
Renewable secondary fuels |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Non-renewable secondary fuels |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Recovered energy |
MJ, NCV |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Use of net fresh water resources |
m3 |
1.83E+01 |
5.43E-02 |
3.92E-01 |
1.87E+01 |
Abiotic depletion (fossil fuels) |
MJ, LHV |
6.72E+02 |
2.01E+01 |
7.28E+01 |
7.65E+02 |
Output flows and waste category indicators |
|||||
Hazardous waste disposed |
kg |
5.09E+00 |
4.54E-03 |
4.08E-04 |
5.10E+00 |
Non-hazardous waste disposed |
kg |
3.48E+00 |
1.84E-02 |
6.05E-03 |
3.51E+00 |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
5.41E-05 |
2.40E-07 |
3.43E-06 |
5.77E-05 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
4.79E-04 |
4.67E-07 |
1.72E-06 |
4.82E-04 |
Components for re-use |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
4.06E-01 |
4.06E-01 |
Materials for recycling |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Materials for energy recovery |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Exported energy |
MJ |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbon emissions and removals |
|||||
Biogenic Carbon Removal from Product |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Product |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Biogenic Carbon Removal from Packaging |
kg CO2 |
7.88E-02 |
0.00E+00 |
5.39E-01 |
6.18E-01 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Packaging |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
7.88E-02 |
7.88E-02 |
Biogenic Carbon Emission from Combustion of Waste from Renewable Sources Used in Production Processes |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Calcination Carbon Emissions |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbonation Carbon Removals |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
Carbon Emissions from Combustion of Waste from Non-Renewable Sources used in Production Processes |
kg CO2 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
0.00E+00 |
High and low-level radioactive waste reported by A1-A3 modules for Window Wall Bypass (frame only) per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
5.41E-05 |
6.46E-08 |
1.10E-06 |
5.52E-05 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
1.30E-04 |
1.26E-07 |
5.14E-07 |
1.30E-04 |
High and low-level radioactive waste reported by A1-A3 modules for Window Wall Bypass (glazing only) per declared unit
Parameter |
Unit |
A1 |
A2 |
A3 |
Total |
High-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
0.00E+00 |
1.75E-07 |
2.33E-06 |
2.51E-06 |
Intermediate- and low-level radioactive waste, conditioned, to final repository |
kg |
3.50E-04 |
3.40E-07 |
1.20E-06 |
3.51E-04 |
Significant data limitations currently exist within the LCI data used to generate waste metrics for Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations. The waste metrics were calculated in a way conformant with the requirements of ISO 21930:2017, but these values represent rough estimates and are for informational purposes only. As such, no decisions regarding actual cradle-gate waste performance between products should be derived from these reported values.
SM Transparency Report (EPD) 