EPDs for reused construction products could provide that carbon case. But currently, there are zero (as far as we know) examples of North American EPDs for reused construction products. And there is no general North American PCR guidance for material reuse. To address this gap, in this report:

• We propose LCA methods and PCR language for reused construction product EPDs.
• We share initial LCA model results for three reused product types — lumber, structural steel, and brick.
• We recommend next steps for data collection, PCR development, and industry-average EPDs for reuse construction products.

We hope that PCR committees, program operators, and LCA developers can use our proposed methods, draft models, and recommended next steps as a basis to develop formal PCR guidance and LCA models for reuse. These steps will support a robust LCA ecosystem for reuse and ultimately help scale material reuse and its environmental benefits.

To address this gap, CLF and Eastern Research Group (ERG) collaborated to advance the discussion on reuse construction product PCR guidance and modeling. In this report:

• We recommend life cycle assessment (LCA) methods y propose PCR language for reuse product EPDs.
• We present initial LCA model results for reuse lumber, steel, and brick.
• We make recommendations for future work.

We hope others will build upon these efforts to advance LCA and EPDs for reuse construction products. We envision the following four main steps.

1. Develop an industry-wide dataset for reuse. 
2. Develop industry-average LCA models for reused construction products.
3. Develop PCR guidance for category-specific PCRs (steel, wood, brick, flooring, etc.) to incorporate or reference.
4. Develop industry-average EPDs for reuse construction product types and support future pathways for more specific EPDs.

If you’re interested in learning more or are new to EPDs, salvage, and reuse, here are some CLF resources to help you get up to speed.

Join a growing movement of researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates working to decarbonize the building sector.

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• Join the CLF Network – Connect with 10,000+ professionals worldwide

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• The Carbon Leadership Forum accelerates transformation of the building sector to radically reduce the embodied carbon in building materials and construction.
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• We are architects, engineers, contractors, material suppliers, building owners, and policymakers who care about the future and take bold steps to eliminate embodied carbon from buildings and infrastructure.

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