Environmental Integrity: EPDs Are the Final Word

Environmental Integrity: EPDs Are the Final Word
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Greenfiber leans into the power of third-party validated EPDs to highlight its dedication to transparency and sustainability.

GF LEAF Sanctuary CLR LogoConsumers are increasingly skeptical of environmental claims, especially given the numerous greenwashing lawsuits reported in the media. Companies with genuine sustainability initiatives must navigate through the noise to substantiate their claims. Many, like Greenfiber, are opting for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to prove environmental integrity.

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Greenfiber’s Sanctuary insulation, already known for its carbon emissions-reducing properties, gets a public awareness boost thanks to an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Courtesy of Greenfiber


This commitment to transparency is particularly important in the insulation industry, where products are generally quite carbon intensive. Greenfiber has developed Sanctuary® Insulation, a unique cellulose-based insulation product made with 85 percent post-consumer paper. It stands out as one of the few carbon negative options available, boasting a low global warming potential (GWP) due to the carbon storage properties of trees, and it maintains a low operational carbon profile by using low-energy manufacturing and short-haul transportation. 

Additionally, Sanctuary is ENERGY STAR certified, contributing to an average 20 percent reduction in heating and cooling costs.

With a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) and corresponding EPD documentation, consumers gain valuable insights into the environmental impact of Greenfiber’s Sanctuary, spanning from initial materials sourcing to end-of-life disposal. Consumers can see firsthand the monumental difference between Sanctuary and traditional, carbon-intensive insulation.

One key aspect highlighted in the EPD is the important role of sustainable material sourcing in reducing Sanctuary's embodied carbon. Greenfiber diverts 277,000 tons of paper from landfills annually. It’s estimated that outfitting every new home and under insulated home with Sanctuary could remove 12.4 million tons of carbon from the air.

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The Greenfiber EPD is built around a philosophy of Earth-friendly actions and recycling, carbon storage, and clean manufacturing techniques. Courtesy of Greenfiber


In 2024 alone, Greenfiber is committed to removing 142,246 tons of carbon from the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the emissions from 14.5 million gallons of gasoline or the carbon stored by 369 million trees. 

The EPD for Sanctuary provides significant reassurance to consumers that the product's environmental claims are genuine. Underlining its commitment to transparency, Greenfiber is pursuing EPDs for more of its products. This makes it a welcome choice for builders increasingly interested in purchasing sustainable, EPD-backed products to earn sustainability credits under green building programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Green Building Initiative (GBI)’s Green Globes.

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Quick Stats

Reduction in heating and cooling costs from SANCTUARY insulation: 20%

Tons of paper diverted from landfills annually by Greenfiber: 277,000

Tons of carbon to be removed from the air using Sanctuary: 12.4 million 


In its pursuit of EPDs, Greenfiber is working closely with Builders for Climate Action, the creators of the Building Emissions Accounting for Materials (BEAM) software, to understand the true impact of biogenic insulation. As it stands currently, the product category rules (PCR) for insulation in North America do not declare the product’s carbon storage capability as a GWP-Bio or a Biogenic Carbon Removal from Product (BCRP). 

This is problematic, as the PCR rules hinder builders at the specification stage from accurately determining the true impact of biogenic insulation. Greenfiber's commitment to changing this status quo is necessary and represents a step in the right direction for transparent and sustainable home building.