Life Cycle Assessment

Valsir performed a LCA on the polyethylene and polypropylene pipe.

Life Cycle Assessment is a technique to assess the “environmental impact” of the product, “from the cradle to the grave”.

It is performed by quantifying the impact resulting from the use of resources (energy, raw materials, water) and from environmental releases (to the air, water and land), the consequences for human health, the quality of the ecosystem and the depletion of resources.

All the processes that contribute to obtaining the product are analysed and assessed, as if they were examined under a magnifying glass, from the production and transport of the raw materials, to the manufacturing process itself, from distribution on the market and use, to its disposal or recycling.

It was decided to carry out the first LCA on the systems of pipes and fittings in polyethylene and polypropylene in that they represent a historical and fundamental part of Valsir production.
They also represent the technological basis on which other fundamental products were developed within the Valsir range, such as the PP3, Silere^® and Triplus^® waste and drainage systems.

This primary analysis allows us to create a base for performing life cycle assessments on the remaining waste and drainage product lines.

LCA of PP

Objective and field of application

The objective of this study is the quantification of the environmental impact of the polypropylene pipe along its life cycle. The functional unit is 1 metre of pipe of diameter 110 mm.

A service life of 50 years was considered.
All the stages of the product’s life cycle were studied with the exception of use: raw material extraction and transport, materials processing, packaging, worldwide distribution and the end-of-life phase.

Inventory

For the processes that are performed within the Valsir factory in Vobarno (BS) primary data were collected, whereas for the other processes secondary data were used from the ecoinvent database. The data refer to the first eight months of 2014. To facilitate the LCA calculations the LCA software SimaPro 8 was used.

Assessment of environmental impact

For the assessment of the environmental impact two methods of analysis were used: EPD and Recipe. The results are indicated in the table (EPD) and graph (Recipe) below.

The EPD method is composed of six environmental indicators deduced using the CML method 2013: global warming, thinning of the ozone layer, photochemical oxidant creation, acidification, eutrophication and the use of abiotic resources. The impact category concerning global warming was updated according to IPCC 2013.

Tab. 1: Results of the characterisation, EPF method.

	Global warming	Thinning of ozone layer	Acidification	Eutrophication	Photochemical oxidant creation	Abiotic resource depletion
Unit	kg CO₂ eq	mg CFC-11 eq	g SO₂ eq	g P₄³- eq	g C₂H₄ eq	mg Sb eq
Total	2,87	0,07	9,86	6,29	0,61	3,77
Raw material	2,07	0,02	7,24	3,69	0,44	2,84
Production	0,33	0,04	1,31	0,30	0,10	0,27
Distribution	0,18	0,01	0,84	0,17	0,02	0,45
End-of-life	0,22	0,00	0,08	1,99	0,01	0,01
Pack LCA	0,07	0,00	0,39	0,15	0,04	0,20

The ReCiPe method is a tool for calculating the totality of the impacts, considering 17 different categories that can be grouped together in three macro-categories: Human Health, Ecosystems and Resources.

The method also includes the possibility of summarizing all the categories in one single value, measured in eco-points; the calculation was performed according to the ReCiPe endpoint method (H) V1.05/Europe ReCiPe H/A.

Interpretation

The calculation performed with the EPD and with the ReCiPe method indicated that the raw materials stage is responsible for the majority of the contributions

For more information on the LCA of PP please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LCA of HDPE

Objective and field of application

The objective of this study is the quantification of the environmental impact of the polyethylene pipe along its life cycle. The functional unit chosen to represent the entire HDPE range is 1 metre of pipe of diameter 110 mm of the HDPE pipe product line. A service life of 50 years was considered.

All the stages of the product’s life cycle were studied with the exception of the use stage: raw material extraction and transport, materials processing, packaging, worldwide distribution and the end-of-life phase.

Inventory

For the processes that are performed within the Valsir factory in Vobarno (BS) primary data were collected, whereas for the other processes secondary data were used from the ecoinvent database. The data refer to the first eight months of 2014. To facilitate the LCS calculations the LCA software SimaPro 8 was used.

Assessment of environmental impact

For the assessment of the environmental impact, two methods of analysis were used: EPD and ReCiPe. The results are indicated in the table (EPD) and graph (ReCiPe) below.

Tab. 1: Results of the characterization, EPD method.

	Global warming	Thinning of ozone layer	Acidification	Eutrophication	Photochemical oxidant creation	Abiotic resource depletion
Unit	kg CO₂ eq	mg CFC-11 eq	g SO₂ eq	g P₄³- eq	g C₂H₄ eq	mg Sb eq
Total	4,1	0,12	14,13	5,24	1,13	1,67
Raw material	3,02	0,04	10,03	0,96	0,9	0,88
Production	0,48	0,06	1,51	0,31	0,13	0,28
Distribution	0,23	0,02	2,28	0,30	0,07	0,42
End-of-life	0,34	0,00	0,13	3,61	0,02	0,01
Pack LCA	0,03	0,00	0,18	0,06	0,02	0,08

Interpretation

The calculations performed with the EPD and with the ReCiPe method indicated that the raw materials stage is responsible for the majority of the contributions.

For more information on the LCA of HDPE please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Products

Flush cisterns

Valsir’s attention to the responsible use of resources, in particular a precious commodity such as water has inspired investments in research and technological innovation of its products, to offer the market technologically advanced solutions that respect the environment.

An example of this is the range of in-wall and external cisterns that provides the possibility of a dual flush (7.5/4 litres or 6/3 litres), allowing the user to choose the most suitable quantity of water, constantly guaranteeing an effective flush.

Valsir has developed cisterns that are capable of performing a total flush with just 4 litres of water, thus obtaining the valuable 4Star certification.

By using our flush cisterns, a family of 4 can save up to 11,000 litres of water in one year… the equivalent of 7,300 one and a half-litre bottles of water! Or in other words, the yearly consumption of drinking water of 20 children that live in the “Countries of thirst”.

Yearly water savings equal to::

11.000 one-litre bottles

Equal to the consumption of water of:

245 showers

Radiant systems

Radiant panels are ideal for achieving a low temperature heating system and at the same time ensuring an elevated level of comfort, thanks to the uniform distribution of heat inside the room. Valsir radiant systems maximise thermal wellbeing, increase the level of air quality, take advantage of low temperature energy while reducing heat loss and increasing energy savings to the benefit of the environment.

In a household made up of 4 members that is heated with a floor radiant system, energy savings of up to 20% have been registered as compared with traditional heating systems.

The reasons? The fact that it is the entire floor surface that contributes to heating the environment and that this is done by using low temperature water, at approximately 30-40°C. This in fact makes it convenient to use high efficiency heat sources such as heat pumps, condensation boilers, solar panels.

In addition, the condition of ideal well-being is reached with a floor heating system, producing an average room temperature that is 1°C below that of a traditional heating system and therefore with equal comfort levels there is an energy saving that in our gas bills can reach a further 4-6%, and all in favour of the environment.

Possible energy saving:

-20%

Compared with a traditional system

CO₂ emissions avoided in one year:

51 Kg

Equal to the thermal energy necessary for:

1.835 hot showers (40°C) in a year

Rainplus

The Rainplus^® system for the syphonic drainage of rainwater features the most modern technology in the field of drainage from the roofs of medium to large size buildings.

Rainplus^® allows the entire flow of water to be directed in an extremely efficient manner to any part of the building whatsoever thus allowing the simple implementation of the most modern rainwater harvesting systems.

This system allows the accumulation of water for use in irrigation and fire-sprinkling system or tanks where the water is used for non-potable purposes without the need of installing special pumps.

This produces savings not only in terms of the purchase of pumps but also in functioning and maintenance costs.

The technology behind the Rainplus^® system fully meets current energy saving requirements, guaranteeing greater levels of performance than any other conventional rainwater drainage system.

By installing a Rainplus^® system there is a 70%* reduction in the quantity (kilogrammes) of material installed thus drastically cutting transport costs, the manpower required and the space occupied by the system, and that’s not all. The use of 70% less material can also be seen as a contribution to reducing the quantity of CO2 released into the environment for the production of the pipes and fittings required for the system.

There is an 18%* reduction in energy consumption related to the welding of the pipes and fittings and a 36%* reduction for the installation of the outlets on the roof thanks to the high performance of the same.

The comparison

A conventional drainage system
100 kg of HDPE

A Rainplus^® drainage system 30 kg of HDPE

-70%

Emissions of CO₂ avoided:

23,5 Kg

Ariapur

In winter months and in certain geographical areas, the opening of a bathroom window to let in fresh air or to let shower or bath steam out can generate a sharp drop in the temperature of the room with a consequent loss of heat and the need for more energy in order to reach the former temperature.

This waste can be avoided by installing Ariapur, the dual extraction fan that extracts odours directly from the WC and extracts any vapour from the room.

Valsir HDPE and Triplus are certified as Green Building products

The Green Building Council of Singapore issued the Green Building mark for Valsir Triplus^® and Valsir HDPE

The certification was issued following an in-depth assessment of four significant aspects in order to define the products as “green”:

the production process,
the recyclability of the product,
the installation process,
the system solutions.

Production is performed inside the production site of Vobarno, a highly energy efficient building that obtained a class A efficiency rating.

Triplus_® and HDPE are completely recyclable

A product can be considered “green” when the process required to install it is also environmentally friendly. To construct systems in HDPE and Triplus^® no chemical toxic cements or glues of any type are used.

Joints are created by welding at a low voltage or with a push-fit connection socket with a watertight seal.

The capacity of supplying the market with system solutions that respect the environment and reduce, for example, the number of pipes and fittings employed in a waste or rainwater drainage system.

Both Triplus^® and HDPE allow waste and drainage systems to be constructed with a single waste stack and therefore without the need for a second ventilation pipe thanks to the use of ventilation branches.

This particular waste system requires the installation of a special fitting on each floor to which the sanitary appliances are connected and with which it is possible to guarantee excellent ventilation of the pipes and a reduction in pressure fluctuations within the system (for more details: Triplus^®, HDPE).

HDPE can also be used to create Rainplus^® syphonic drainage systems for the collection and re-use of rainwater, significantly reducing the quantity of pipes and fittings in complete respect of the Green Building principles.

Sustainability according to Valsir

Efficient processes and reliable products are not the
only parameters that are taken into consideration
when assessing the quality of a company’s business.

Of equal importance is the capacity of the company and its management to design and implement manufacturing processes that are sustainable from an environmental perspective.

The awareness of the environmental impact of our activities has given way to increasingly diversified and structured initiatives and the subject of sustainability has become central, so much so that it actively encompasses all areas of the organization.

The commitment of Valsir is divided essentially along two lines:

On the one hand it concentrates on the products with the creation of environmentally and recyclable goods, and on the other hand it involves the implementation of sustainable production processes inside buildings with a high energy efficiency.

Constant commitment in pursuing of an environmentally friendly behaviour has been awarded by the excellent results achieved, which we will illustrate here and are an incentive today to persist with the continuous improvement of products and processes.

Sustainability Report

The collection of data and facts related to our daily commitment towards sustainability is now in our Sustainability Report, born from the desire to establish an open dialogue with our Stakeholders, merging the achievements we obtained to the targets we set ourselves for the future.

The Report gathers the Company's with an overview from 2018 to 2019, in order to have a picture on the five-year period.
In preparing the financial statements we followed the GRI G4 guidelines covering the three major themes for Valsir: Environment and Energy, People and Territory, and Processes Alliance of Values.

Download the Sustainability Report

Processes

Products

Life Cycle Assessment

A building in energy efficiency Class A

The logistics and production hub in Vobarno (BS), built as an extension of the previous Valsir production area which has always been used for the production of multilayer pipe, was meticulously designed to reduce the environmental impact and energy consumption.

Completed in record time

The building was completed in record time, from August 2011 to August 2012, in just one year, from the acquisition and demolition of the dilapidated disused factory to commissioning. It was one of the first production facilities in Europe to be awarded a class A rating in energy efficiency.

Perfect integration
with the environment

The materials for the exterior were chosen to help the building to blend in with the surrounding environment, thus reducing the visual impact as much as possible.

Quality of the
working environment

Positioning of the production plants was studied in order to reduce the noise emissions to the nearby residential area to a minimum.

Much consideration was given to consumption optimization: the building was insulated in order to reduce energy loss to the outside and designed in such a way as to exploit natural daylight for internal lighting purposes.
This allows diffused light to be delivered to the production areas, thus significantly improving the quality of the working environment and reducing the consumption of electricity.

54.000 m²

of which 38.000 m² is floor space

8.000 m²

for production

30.000 m² for the storage of goods

6.000 m²

of external area for the handling and loading of goods

Completed in record time:

in just one year

Materials chosen to reduce

the visual impact

to a minimum

Production processes

Photovoltaic

The first energy efficiency retrofit works involved the roofs of the premises in Vestone where today solar radiation is used to produce electricity in the production plants in a clean and renewable way by means of photovoltaic panels.

Life Cycle Assessment

LCA of PP

Objective and field of application

Inventory

Assessment of environmental impact

Interpretation

LCA of HDPE

Objective and field of application

Inventory

Assessment of environmental impact

Interpretation

Products

Flush cisterns

11.000 one-litre bottles

245 showers

Radiant systems

-20%

51 Kg

1.835 hot showers (40°C) in a year

Rainplus

The comparison

A conventional drainage system 100 kg of HDPE

A Rainplus® drainage system 30 kg of HDPE

-70%

23,5 Kg

Ariapur

Valsir HDPE and Triplus are certified as Green Building products

The Green Building Council of Singapore issued the Green Building mark for Valsir Triplus® and Valsir HDPE

Sustainability according to Valsir

Efficient processes and reliable products are not the only parameters that are taken into consideration when assessing the quality of a company’s business.

The commitment of Valsir is divided essentially along two lines:

Sustainability Report

Processes

Products

Life Cycle Assessment

A building in energy efficiency Class A

The logistics and production hub in Vobarno (BS), built as an extension of the previous Valsir production area which has always been used for the production of multilayer pipe, was meticulously designed to reduce the environmental impact and energy consumption.

Completed in record time

Perfect integration with the environment

Quality of the working environment

54.000 m2

8.000 m2

6.000 m2

in just one year

the visual impact

Production processes

Photovoltaic

Solar energy

Transportation

Methane

Lighting

Electricity

Information technology

Differentiated waste collection

Valsir prints on FSC paper

Products

Flush cisterns

Radiant systems

Rainplus

Ariapur

Valsir HDPE and Triplus are certified as Green Building products