Bankiz, the new verified FDES configurator of URSA insulation solutions
URSA develops a new tool that provides transparent access to the environmental and health declarations of its products. BANKIZ allows them to calculate and deliver verified environmental product declarations for their insulation materials.
Sustainability is one of URSA's founding principles and is at the heart of its business and value proposition. When no one is questioning the need to combat climate change and take an urgent and comprehensive approach to sustainable development, the company wants to help its customers shape the new framework for energy and environmentally efficient building.
Years of research and investment in the development of materials with the smallest possible environmental footprint have resulted in building insulation solutions that help reduce high carbon emissions from buildings and ever-increasing energy bills.
Focusing on supporting the planet, the economy and society, URSA has a policy in line with the European Energy Efficiency Plan and the 2050 roadmap for a low carbon economy and aligned with the European Green Deal, the EU's new Circular Economy Action Plan and the Waste Framework Directive.
As part of the 2020 Environmental Standard (RE2020), URSA France has undergone a quality review, focusing on the life cycle analysis of its materials to facilitate the environmental performance of the products. In addition, the study uses external verification under the umbrella of INIES (national reference database on environmental and health data on construction products and equipment) of the impact of their use in buildings. As a result, the energy savings of URSA insulation during the use phase are so significant that they far exceed the energy required for their production, transport and installation, generating a net positive impact on the environment.
All mineral wool manufactured by the company already has the Environmental Product Declaration Sheet (EPD). This assessment measures the environmental and health impact based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCV) of construction products placed on the European market.
"The FDES Declaration is URSA's commitment to transparency for more than 20 years based on the environmental and health commitment", Silvia Herranz, Sustainability & Technical Manager Europe at URSA Insulation. "It is a further step in advancing the building environmental assessment that marks our purpose as a critical supplier to the building materials industry”.
The methodology audits all inventory data, such as the data required in each module of an insulation's life cycle, from product installation to end of life.
This information is vital for calculating environmental impacts at the building level. In addition, it serves as a guide and aid for obtaining today's desired building sustainability labels or certificates (NF HQE, Breeam, Leed, DGNB, etc.).
URSA has developed BANKIZ for its clients to facilitate access to this information. This free tool allows them to calculate and deliver verified environmental product declarations for their glass mineral wool and extruded polystyrene insulation materials, personalised and customised for each project.
“The 2020 environmental regulations will require France and consider the carbon impact of construction products as part of the life cycle analysis of all new constructions for the next ten years. In this context and to make life easier for design offices (or our direct and indirect customers), URSA has created BANKIZ”, explain Renaud Benchet, Technical Manager at URSA France.
The solution, available via a freely accessible website, provides customised environmental profiles of the products, depending on the characteristics and peculiarities of each project.
“BANKIZ gives access in 3 clicks to all the environmental data of URSA products and helps guide the user to the right product. It has been verified by a third party and registered on INIES. BANKIZ is the first FDES configurator filed by an industrialist on INIES and connected to all ACV RE2020 software via the EDEC platform,” concludes Benchet.
"The FDES is calculated based on the LCA methodology, and at URSA, we wanted to contribute to the accuracy of our FDES by developing a customised solution based on the type of site and URSA products. Therefore, the verification of the validity frameworks and the configurator was carried out by ELYS CONSEIL, an independent assessment body. The system is designed to evolve and adapt to URSA's standards and product range," completes Herranz.
