Mat 02 - Environmental impacts from construction products - Environmental Product Declarations

Definition of a ‘product’ - KBCN1142

For Mat 02, the definition of a product is the same as for Mat 03: ‘A manufacturer-specific product (i.e. with a manufacturer reference number) that is specified by the designer (e.g. architect, engineer, interior designer, quantity surveyor, landscape architect etc.) or selected by the constructor (principle or sub-contractor), and installed on the project’. It is acceptable for a product in Mat 02 to have variations in where it is manufactured, how it is manufactured and the source of its constituent products (as defined in Mat 03), providing these variations are not available for the specifier (or constructor) to choose between, but are instead determined by the manufacturer. If variations are available for the specifier to choose between then, for the purposes of Mat 02, each variation is effectively a different product. Examples of acceptable variations for a product:-

If the product is manufactured in more than one location but the specifier cannot choose the location.
If the product is made on two different production lines in the same location but the specifier cannot choose the production line.
If the recycled content is sometimes 10% and sometimes 15%, etc., but the specifier cannot choose the recycled content.

Examples of unacceptable variations for a product:-

Different densities that the specifier can choose between.
Different thicknesses that the specifier can choose between.
Different constituent products (as defined in Mat 03) that the specifier can choose between.

The following exceptions are variations that the specifier can choose between, but shall still be considered a product for the purposes of Mat 02 (providing they are variations of a single product and not listed as separate products by the manufacturer). This is to recognise the practicalities of producing EPD for product ranges with varying combinations:-

Different decorative colours that the specifier can choose between.
Different decorative patterns that the specifier can choose between.
Bespoke modules/sizes determined by the specifier to suit the design.

EPD for systems of products always installed together - KBCN1102

Where an EPD is for a system of products, from the same manufacturer, that are always installed together, this system of products shall be considered a single product for the purposes of assessment in BREEAM. Examples of this include:

a flooring system of products comprising of the floor finish and an adhesive
a cladding system of products comprising panels, fixing brackets, insulation and seals etc.

EPDs’ validity - KBCN0798

EPDs which have expired or are pending verification at the time the relevant product was specified, cannot contribute to awarding credits. However, it is not necessary that they are valid at the time of the design or post-construction stage submissions. BREEAM is primarily trying to encourage designers to take EPDs into consideration when specifying products.

04/11/2019 Confirmed applicability to UK NC2018
27/03/2020 Added applicability to Green Guide ratings and ISO 14001 certificates
27/05/2020 Reference to ISO 14001 removed - Whilst the same principle applies, the wording relating to product specification does not - See KBCN1401.
12/08/2021 Clarification regarding the validity of EPDs during QA submission and removal of reference to Green Guide ratings

Mat 01/02 Results Submission Tool – concept and technical design submission - KBCN1209

As stated on the Mat 01/02 Results Submission tool, uploading the Mat 01/02 Results Submission Tool to BREEAM Projects is the required method for submitting the tool at Concept and Technical Design stages; it is not required to be submitted to BRE via email. The upload will be date-stamped for the purposes of QA checks.

Product classification code for ‘Other’ materials/products - KBCN1229

In the ‘MAT02_EPDSchedule’ sheet of the Mat01/02 Results Submission Tool, the product classification ‘P8’ should be entered for products classified as ‘other’ (according to the mat 02 materials classification table in the technical manual).

Uniclass codes - KBCN1363

The following lists the official UNICLASS 1.4 names from table P relevant to this issue:

P5 – Timber
P2 - Cementitious, concrete and mineral-bound materials
P4 - Metal
P1 - Stone, natural and reconstituted; P3 - Minerals, excluding cementitious
P33 - Clay-based materials
P232 – Gypsum
P314 – Glass
P7 - Plastics, rubber, chemicals and synthetics; P34 - Bitumen-based materials
P6 - Animal and vegetable materials, excluding timber

The complete tables for P and L can be searched here https://www.cpic.org.uk/uniclass1/