BLAZE-SHIELD® II

LCA results & interpretation BLAZE-SHIELD® II, II HS & HP

BLAZE-SHIELD® II BLAZE-SHIELD® II HS BLAZE-SHIELD® HP EPD additional content Material health

Scope and summary

Cradle to gate
Cradle to gate with options
Cradle to grave

Application

BLAZE-SHIELD^® II is industry-leading commercial density Dry Mix Spray-Applied Fire Resistive Material (SFRM). It is Portland cement and mineral wool based applied fireproofing material available in commercial densities, as well as with high bonding capabilities to satisfy the International Building Code (IBC) bond strength requirement for buildings up to 420 ft in height.

Declared unit

1,000 kg of spray-applied fire-resistive material, packaging included.

Manufacturing activities

Products are manufactured by blending the specified bulking agent with a number of product-specific binders to achieve prescribed fire rating performance in the field. Finished goods are packaged in individual bags, stacked on pallets, and stretch wrapped before delivery to job sites.

Manufacturing data

Reporting period: January 2024 – December 2024
Locations: Huntington, IN

Distribution and installation scenarios

The product belongs to the CAFCO 300 SFRM subcategory, as the product density falls within the range of 15–20 pcf (240–320 kg/m³). Distribution from the manufacturing facility to the construction site is assumed to be 500 km (311 miles) using a single unit truck with an empty backhaul. 1.377 m³ of water and 6.3 kWh of electricity is assumed to be consumed during installation.

No gasoline or diesel-powered equipment is assumed to be used during installation. Therefore, the net calorific value (i.e., Lower Heating Value, LHV) of fuels is considered to be zero in A5.

What’s causing the greatest impacts

All life cycle stages

The environmental impacts are primarily driven by the manufacturing phase. The stage dominates across all impact categories except for the non-carcinogens category. Following this, the raw material supply phase is the second-largest contributor across most categories.

The raw material transportation and transport to the building site phases contribute comparable levels of impact. Ultimately, the installation stage results in the lowest overall impacts.

Raw material supply

The raw material supply phase is the second largest contributor to environmental impacts, accounting for roughly 16% of the total global warming potential under both the IPCC AR6 and TRACI 2.2 methodologies. This impact is driven primarily by the use of Portland cement, which is responsible for about 90% of CO₂-equivalent emissions within this phase.

Across most other impact categories, the raw material supply phase also has a considerable influence, contributing 10–30% of total impacts, with the exception of the non-carcinogenics category.

Transport to factory and transport to building site

The transport to factory and transport to building site phases are more strongly linked to the non-carcinogenics category. While these two phases each contribute less than 10% to most other impact categories, their influence on the non-carcinogenics impact category is greater. The transport to factory phase accounts for about 17%, and thetransport to building site phase contributes roughly 43% of total non-carcinogenic impacts. This elevated contribution is primarily driven by the transport of raw materials and finished products, which generates nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) and particulate matter, both of which are known to cause potential non-carcinogenic health effects.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing phase is the most significant contributor, accounting for over 70% of the total global warming potential under both the IPCC AR6 and TRACI 2.2 methodologies. This impact is largely driven by the use of coke-fired furnaces needed to melt recycled slag and rock into mineral wool. The manufacturing stage is also the dominant contributor, accounting for 50–90% of the total impacts in most categories. In the non-carcinogenic category, it ranks as the second-largest contributor, with approximately 30% of the impact attributed to this phase.

Installation

The installation phase has a minimal overall impact. Its contribution to the global warming potential is less than 1%. In the acidification, ecotoxicity, and freshwater eutrophication categories, approximately 1% of the impact originates from phase A5. Across all other impact categories, this phase contributes even less.

Embodied carbon

Embodied carbon can be defined as the cradle-to-gate (A1-A3) IPCC_Total global warming potential impacts. The embodied carbon per declared unit of BLAZE-SHIELD® II is 1.16E+03 kg CO₂-eq for Huntington.

How we're making it greener

Isolatek International is committed to legal compliance and ethical business practices in all of our operations. Isolatek's vendors must act in accordance with the applicable statutory and international standards regarding environmental protection. Isolatek's vendors must minimize environmental pollution and make continuous improvements in environmental protection.

Isolatek's vendors must set up or use a reasonable environmental management system. In Isolatek's purchase arrangements, vendors must observe all applicable laws of their country and international standards, including but not limited to laws and standards relating to the environment, as well as health and safety.

See how we make it greener

LCA results

Life cycle stage	Raw material supply	Transportation	Manufacturing	Transportation	Installation
Information modules: Included (X) \| Excluded (MND)* *Modules B, C, and D are excluded.	(X) A1 Raw Material extraction and upstream processing	(X) A2 Transport to factory	(X) A3 Manufacturing	(X) A4 Transport to building site	(X) A5 Installation

SM Single Score

Learn about SM Single Score results

Impacts per declared unit	6.37E+00 mPts	1.13E+00 mPts	2.83E+01 mPts	2.84E+00 mPts	2.45E-01 mPts
Materials or processes contributing >20% to total impacts in each life cycle stage	Raw extraction and upstream manufacturing.	Truck and rail transportation used to transport raw materials to manufacturing site.	Energy and ancillary materials required to make the passive fire protection product.	Truck and rail transportation used to transport finished products to construction site.	Energy and water used for installation.

TRACI v2.2 results per declared unit - BLAZE-SHIELD® II produced in Huntington, IN

Life cycle stage	A1 Raw material supply	A2 Transport	A3 Manufacturing	A4 Transport to building site	A5 Installation

Ecological damage

Impact category	Unit
GWP, IPCC_Total	kg CO₂ eqKilograms of Carbon Dioxide equivalent Global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to change in global climate patterns and is caused by the increase of the sources of greenhouse gases and decrease of the sinks due to deforestation and land use. GW leads to problems in human health, agriculture, forest, water source, and damage to species and biodiversity as well as coastal areas.	1.98E+02	1.65E+01	9.42E+02	4.16E+01	5.55E+00
GWP, IPCC_Biogenic	kg CO₂ eqKilograms of Carbon Dioxide equivalent Global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to change in global climate patterns and is caused by the increase of the sources of greenhouse gases and decrease of the sinks due to deforestation and land use. GW leads to problems in human health, agriculture, forest, water source, and damage to species and biodiversity as well as coastal areas.	0.00E+00	0.00E+00	0.00E+00	0.00E+00	0.00E+00
GWP, IPCC_Fossil	kg CO₂ eqKilograms of Carbon Dioxide equivalent Global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to change in global climate patterns and is caused by the increase of the sources of greenhouse gases and decrease of the sinks due to deforestation and land use. GW leads to problems in human health, agriculture, forest, water source, and damage to species and biodiversity as well as coastal areas.	1.98E+02	1.65E+01	9.42E+02	4.16E+01	5.55E+00
GWP, IPCC_Luluc	kg CO₂ eqKilograms of Carbon Dioxide equivalent Global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to change in global climate patterns and is caused by the increase of the sources of greenhouse gases and decrease of the sinks due to deforestation and land use. GW leads to problems in human health, agriculture, forest, water source, and damage to species and biodiversity as well as coastal areas.	4.05E-02	8.77E-04	3.04E-02	2.21E-03	3.19E-03
GWP, TRACI_Total	kg CO₂ eqKilograms of Carbon Dioxide equivalent Global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to change in global climate patterns and is caused by the increase of the sources of greenhouse gases and decrease of the sinks due to deforestation and land use. GW leads to problems in human health, agriculture, forest, water source, and damage to species and biodiversity as well as coastal areas.	1.98E+02	1.63E+01	9.33E+02	4.10E+01	5.49E+00
GWP, TRACI_Biogenic	kg CO₂ eqKilograms of Carbon Dioxide equivalent Global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to change in global climate patterns and is caused by the increase of the sources of greenhouse gases and decrease of the sinks due to deforestation and land use. GW leads to problems in human health, agriculture, forest, water source, and damage to species and biodiversity as well as coastal areas.	0.00E+00	0.00E+00	0.00E+00	0.00E+00	0.00E+00
GWP, TRACI_Fossil	kg CO₂ eqKilograms of Carbon Dioxide equivalent Global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth’s surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to change in global climate patterns and is caused by the increase of the sources of greenhouse gases and decrease of the sinks due to deforestation and land use. GW leads to problems in human health, agriculture, forest, water source, and damage to species and biodiversity as well as coastal areas.	1.98E+02	1.63E+01	9.33E+02	4.10E+01	5.49E+00
Ozone depletion	kg CFC-11 eq Kilograms of Trichlorofluoromethane equivalent Ozone depletion is the reduction of ozone in the stratosphere caused by the release of ozone depleting chemicals. Ozone depletion can increases ultraviolet B radiation to the earth which can adversely affect human health (skin cancer and cataracts and immune-system suppression) and other systems (marine life, agricultural crops, and other vegetation) and causes damage to human-built materials.	8.28E-07	2.22E-07	5.43E-06	5.59E-07	1.87E-08
Acidification	kg SO₂ eq Kilograms of Sulfur Dioxide equivalent Acidification processes increase the acidity of water and soil systems and causes damage to lakes, streams, rivers, and various plants and animals, as well as building materials, paints, and other human-built structures.	4.25E-07	6.35E-09	1.10E-06	1.60E-08	1.97E-08
Marine eutrophication	kg N eqKilograms of Nitrogen equivalent Marine eutrophication is the enrichment of an aquatic ecosystem with nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) that accelerate biological productivity (growth of algae and weeds) and an undesirable accumulation of algal biomass which impacts industry, agriculture, drinking, fishing, and recreation and causes death of fish and shellfish, toxicity to humans, marine mammals and livestock, and reduces biodiversity.	9.70E-02	1.28E-02	2.14E-01	3.22E-02	1.39E-03
Freshwater eutrophication	kg P eq kilograms of phosphorus equivalents Freshwater eutrophication is the enrichment of an aquatic ecosystem with nutrients (phosphates) that accelerate biological productivity (growth of algae and weeds) and an undesirable accumulation of algal biomass.	9.38E-04	5.22E-05	1.16E-02	1.32E-04	1.44E-04

Human health damage

Impact category	Unit
Smog	kg O₃ eqKilograms of Ozone equivalent Smog formation (photochemical oxidant formation) is the formation of ozone molecules in the troposphere by complex chemical reactions which are influenced by ambient concentrations of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the mix of organic compounds (OCs), temperature, sunlight, and convective flows. Ozone concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere above the natural trace amounts lead to detrimental impacts on human health and ecosystems.	5.12E-01	5.63E-02	4.69E+00	1.42E-01	1.29E-02
Respiratory effects	kg PM_2.5 eqKilograms of Particulate Matter equivalent which are smaller than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter Particulate matter concentrations have a strong influence on chronic and acute respiratory symptoms and mortality rates.	8.87E-06	2.51E-06	5.37E-05	6.32E-06	2.71E-07

Additional environmental information

Impact category	Unit
Carcinogenics	CTU_h Comparative Toxic Units of Human cancerous toxicity Carcinogens have the potential to form cancers in humans.	1.11E+01	1.52E+00	2.43E+01	3.83E+00	1.60E-01
Non-carcinogenics	CTU_h Comparative Toxic Units of Human non-cancerous toxicity Non-Carcinogens have the potential to causes non-cancerous adverse impacts to human health.	2.93E+01	5.20E+01	9.37E+01	1.31E+02	2.20E+00
Ecotoxicity	CTU_e Comparative Toxic Units of Ecotoxicity Ecotoxicity causes negative impacts to ecological receptors and, indirectly, to human receptors through the impacts to the ecosystem.	7.31E-02	6.69E-03	5.75E-01	1.68E-02	9.17E-03

Comparisons cannot be made between product-specific or industry average EPDs at the design stage of a project, before a building or construction works has been specified. Comparisons may be made between product-specific or industry average EPDs at the time of product purchase only when product or construction works performance and specifications have been established and serve as a functional unit for comparison. Environmental impact results shall be converted to a functional unit basis before any comparison is attempted. Any comparison of EPDs shall be subject to the requirements of ISO 21930 or EN 15804. EPDs are not comparative assertions and are either not comparable or have limited comparability when they have different system boundaries, are based on different product category rules or are missing relevant environmental impacts. Such comparisons can be inaccurate and could lead to erroneous selection of materials or products that are higher-impact, at least in some impact categories.

References

LCA Background Report
LCA of Isolatek International Passive Fire Protection Products (public version), Isolatek 2025. Developed using the TRACI v2.2, IPCC 2021 AR6, CML, and Cumulative Energy Demand (LHV) impact assessment methodologies, SimaPro Craft 10.2 software, and ecoinvent v3.11 database.

ISO 14025, “Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works -- Core rules for environmental product declarations of construction products and services”

ISO 21930:2007, "Sustainability in Building Construction — Environmental Declaration of Building Products" serves as the core PCR.

Smart EPD Part A product category rules for building and construction products and services; Version 1.2, March 2025. PCR review conducted by Jack Geibig (chair, [email protected]); Terrie Boguski; and Hugues Imbeault-Tétreault.

Smart EPD Part B product category rules for Spray-applied Fire-Resistive Materials (SFRM); Version 4.0, January 2025. PCR review conducted by Thomas Gloria, PhD (chair, [email protected]); Karl Houser; and Jack Geibig.

Smart EPD General Program Instructions

Download PDF SM Transparency Report/ EPD

SM Transparency Reports (TR) are ISO 14025 Type III environmental declarations (EPD) that enable purchasers and users to compare the potential environmental performance of products on a life cycle basis. They are designed to present information transparently to make the limitations of comparability more understandable. Environmental declarations of products that conform to the same PCR and include the same life cycle stages, but are made by different manufacturers, may not sufficiently align to support direct comparisons. They therefore cannot be used as comparative assertions unless the conditions as defined in ISO 14025 Section 6.7.2. ‘Requirements for Comparability’ are satisfied. In order to support comparative assertions, this EPD meets all comparability requirements stated in ISO 14025:2006. However, differences in certain assumptions, data quality, and variability between LCA data sets may still exist. Example of variations: Different LCA software and background LCI datasets may lead to differences in results upstream or downstream of the life cycle stages declared. EPDs are only comparable if they conform with ISO 21930, this sub-category PCR, include all relevant information modules and are based on equivalent scenarios with respect to the construction works context. Some LCA impact categories and inventory items are still under development and can have high levels of uncertainty. The science supporting this additional environmental information is still under development and may have high levels of uncertainty that preclude international acceptance pending further development. Use caution when interpreting data in this category. To promote uniform guidance on the data collection, calculation, and reporting of results, the ACLCA methodology (ACLCA 2019) was used. The environmental impact results of products in this document are based on a declared unit and therefore do not provide sufficient information to establish comparisons. The results shall not be used for comparisons without knowledge of how the physical properties of the product impact the precise function at the construction level. The environmental impact results shall be converted to a functional unit basis before any comparison is attempted. A manufacturer shall not make claims based on an industry-average EPD which leads the market to believe the industry-average is representative of manufacturer-specific or product-specific results.

Rating systems

The intent is to reward project teams for selecting products from manufacturers who have verified life-cycle environmental performance.

LEED BD+C: New Construction | v4 - LEED v4

Building product disclosure and optimization

Environmental product declarations

Industry-wide (generic) EPD ½ product
Product-specific Type III EPD 1 product

LEED BD+C: New Construction | v4.1 - LEED v4.1