ISO 13315-8:2019

Overview

ISO 13315-8:2019 - Environmental management for concrete and concrete structures - Part 8: Environmental labels and declarations - sets out principles, procedures and requirements for environmental labels (Type I) and environmental declarations (Type III) specifically for concrete, concrete constituents, reinforcement, concrete products and concrete structures. The standard aligns with ISO 14020, ISO 14024, ISO 14025 and ISO 21930 and covers either partial or full life‑cycle assessment (LCA) information for new and existing concrete works.

Key topics and requirements

• Life‑cycle coverage: Defines phases to be considered - production of constituents/products, execution (construction), use, and end‑of‑life - and allows reporting on selected phases or the entire life cycle.
• Product categories and declared unit: Requires clear product category definition and the use of a declared or functional unit for comparable environmental information.
• System boundaries & inventory data: Specifies the need for transparent system boundaries and life cycle inventory (LCI) data consistent with ISO 14040/14044 and ISO 13315 parts 1–2.
• Environmental criteria & indicators: Provides requirements for product environmental criteria used in Type I labelling and data modules for Type III declarations (e.g., LCI, LCIA results, and additional environmental information).
• Service life, scenarios and technical data: Requires documentation of service life assumptions and scenario data for construction, use and end‑of‑life phases to ensure meaningful comparisons.
• Verification, certification & labelling: Sets out verification steps and certification requirements for labels and declarations, ensuring third‑party conformity and traceability.
• Examples and annexes: Includes informative examples (e.g., recycled aggregate, ready‑mixed concrete, concrete structures) to illustrate product criteria and declarations.

Practical applications

Who benefits:

• Concrete and cement manufacturers, precast and ready‑mix producers
• Structural engineers, specifiers and architects seeking environmental performance data
• LCA practitioners preparing environmental product declarations (EPDs)
• Certification bodies and labelling programme operators
• Construction contractors and owners evaluating whole‑life impact and procurement decisions

Uses:

• Developing Type I ecolabel programmes or Type III EPDs for concrete products and structures
• Supporting green procurement, regulatory compliance and sustainable building certification
• Comparing product alternatives and documenting environmental performance for marketing, tendering and lifecycle planning

Related standards

• ISO 14020, ISO 14024, ISO 14025 (environmental labels/declarations)
• ISO 21930 (EPD core rules for construction products)
• ISO 14040 / ISO 14044 (LCA principles and requirements)
• ISO 13315 (other parts addressing system boundary, inventory, and general principles)

Keywords: ISO 13315-8:2019, environmental labels, environmental declarations, concrete, life cycle assessment, EPD, Type I, Type III, product category rules, LCI, LCIA.