Understanding Sustainability and Green References In Our Products
🌱 Do You Know Your EMICODE From Your LEED?
Understanding the sustainability impact of using our products shouldn’t be complicated. This guide breaks down the four green building references you will see in SIBLAND technical data sheets and marketing materials:
- EMICODE® — independent emission testing
- LEED — green building certification credits
- EPD — environmental lifecycle data
- BREEAM — European assessment standard
SIBEXTREME, SIBECO and SIBDEKODUR carry EC1 PLUS EMICODE® classification, the highest standard for very low emission.
Why it matters for your projects
- Healthier indoor environments
- Green building certification support
- Verified environmental credentials
- Client confidence in sustainable choices
Read on to understand what each reference means, and how SIBLAND products contribute towards your sustainability goals.
EMICODE®
What it is: Independent German emission testing standard for construction products. Measures VOC emissions over 28 days.
Credibility
- Established 1997 – over 15,000 products certified worldwide
- Tested at independent laboratories accredited to ISO 17025
- Trademark-protected quality benchmark
Classifications
- EC1 PLUS — very low emission
- EC1 — very low emission
- EC2 — low emission
Your need to know
- SIBEXTREME, SIBECO and SIBDEKODUR carry EC1 PLUS classification, the highest classification
- Why it matters: independently measured evidence of very low VOC emissions, supporting better indoor air quality
- Relevance: EC1Plus classification contributes towards satisfying the Low-Emitting Materials credit (MRc3) under LEED v5
LEED
What it is: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the most widely recognised green building rating system in the world.
Buildings earn certification. Products do not. What a product can do is contribute towards the credits a building is working to earn.
Credibility
- Globally recognised symbol of sustainability leadership
- Framework for healthy, efficient, cost-effective green buildings
- Supported by a committed community driving market transformation
- Provides environmental and social benefits
Your need to know
- Low-Emitting Materials credit (MRc3), LEED v5. Products with EC1Plus EMICODE® classification contribute towards satisfying this credit by limiting harmful VOC emissions. In v5 the credit sits under Materials and Resources, having moved from Indoor Environmental Quality in v4. It is worth up to 4 of 110 available points.
- Materials and Resources, embodied carbon. Products with EPD documentation contribute towards sustainability goals by providing lifecycle environmental impact data. SIBEXTREME range currently.
- Current status: LEED v5 is the live rating system. Registration under v4 and v4.1 closed on 30 June 2026. v5 brings stricter requirements, with an enhanced focus on decarbonisation and embodied carbon reduction.
EPD (Environmental Product Declaration)
What it is: A comprehensive lifecycle assessment document covering environmental impact from raw material extraction through to end of life. Third-party verified, following ISO 14025.
What it includes
- Carbon footprint
- Energy consumption
- Water usage
- Waste generation
- Resource depletion
Your need to know
- SIBLAND products: currently available for the SIBEXTREME range (AF FLOW, AG STYLE, T). SIBECO range EPD documentation is in development.
- Why it matters: provides verified, transparent environmental data. Under LEED v5, EPD information contributes towards Materials and Resources credits, with a focus on embodied carbon reduction in materials purchasing.
- Relevance: third-party verified lifecycle data, from raw material extraction to end of life
BREEAM
What it is: Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. UK-originated, and widely used across Europe.
Similar in purpose to LEED, with a European focus and different assessment criteria and weighting.
Credibility
- World’s leading science-based certification suite
- 80% market share across Europe, expanding globally
- Six technical standards across the building lifecycle
Your need to know
- SIBLAND contributions: very low emission products contribute towards Health and Wellbeing credits.
- Why it matters: particularly relevant for UK and European projects seeking recognised green building certification.
- Product Relevance – SIBEXTREME, SIBECO, SIBDEKODUR
EC1Plus EMICODE® classified, the very low emission class, supporting BREEAM Health and Wellbeing credits
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What this means in practice
SIBEXTREME, SIBECO and SIBDEKODUR are made from pure minerals and carry EC1Plus EMICODE® classification, the very low emission class. There are no warning marks on the bags, so the installer is applying a product that carries no hazard classification from first coat to last.
Manufacturing sits in Portugal, one of the highest green-electricity countries in the world, and the minerals used in our aggregates are found abundantly in nature close by. A short journey from source to manufacture.
Terrazzo adds a further dimension. It uses natural stone alongside recycled content, and recycled content contributes towards Materials and Resources credits under LEED v5.
There is also the question of how long a floor lasts. A surface that resists shrinkage and cracking stays in service longer, and a floor laid once carries a fraction of the embodied carbon of one laid three times.
Two questions worth putting to any flooring supplier on a project targeting certification: what is your EMICODE® classification, and do you have an EPD?
Happy to answer both. Get in touch at geral@sibland.pt.