Mecho Unveils First Ever EPDs for Motorized Shade Systems
December 11, 2024
Made in the Shade: Mecho’s Journey to Sustainable Leadership
At Mecho, sustainability is woven into every decision we make. For decades, we’ve been rethinking shading systems to not only enhance comfort and energy efficiency but also contribute to a healthier, more sustainable planet. From supporting the development of the mindful MATERIALS Common Materials Framework to an existing catalogue equipped with certifications like GREENGUARD, Cradle to Cradle, Declare Labels, EPDs and HPDs, we’ve consistently pushed for greater transparency and accountability in how our products are made and used. Now, we’ve hit another milestone: the first ever Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for a motorized shade.
Learn more about Sustainability
What Makes This EPD a Big Deal
EPDs go beyond typical certifications by offering a detailed, third-party verified analysis of a product’s environmental impact throughout its life cycle—from materials and production to end-of-life. For owners, architects, and designers working toward building certifications like LEED or WELL, EPDs are essential tools for meeting sustainability goals of a project. Developing the first EPD for motorized shades reflects our commitment to providing environmental impact transparency that enables more informed choices. It’s not just about supporting project stakeholders in meeting their green building goals, it's about giving them the products they need to raise their standards.
Shedding Light on the EPD Development Journey
Mecho’s journey to publishing an EPD for a motorized shade was anything but straightforward. With no established Product Category Rules (PCRs) for window coverings specifically, we had to break new ground. Starting with nothing but the experience from developing an EPD for our manual shades in 2023, our team had to collaborate with LCA experts to innovate a new way to account for the complexities of motorized shading systems. Motorized shades (and most everything in the building automation product category) are inherently integrated into a system of data and power delivery, presenting us with a daunting challenge in accurately quantifying the environmental impact of a singular product. For Mecho, solving this involved close collaboration with electrical engineers to determine which materials and components to include—a challenge made even trickier given the custom, made-to-order nature of these products.
The use phase of motorized shades posed another puzzle. These shades operate as part of a building system, with energy use influenced by everything from the building’s façade to its location and seasonal changes. However, as a long-standing innovator in our field, we had the ability to extract historic data from our SolarTrac software which we used to determine the amount of shade lowering per day, and therefore the amount of energy used. This could then be utilized to quantify the total use phase impact of our products within the EPD.
Building Momentum in Building Automation
This EPD isn’t just a milestone for shading—it signifies progress for the entire building automation category. As energy-efficient, connected systems become ever more critical to modern design, sustainability must remain a focus. By sharing the environmental impacts of motorized shades and the process it took for analysis, we aim to set an example and encourage others in the industry to step up with similar certifications. We’re here to consistently meet the next wave of sustainable demand and can support our customers in achieving LEED certification through these EPDs as well as support those that have made AIA 2030 or Material Pledge commitments (and have integrated the mM Common Materials Framework into their materials requirements), meeting carbon reduction targets, and beyond.
Let’s Build Better Together
We at Mecho didn’t take on this challenge to plant a flag or win any awards, we did it in service to our commitment to enabling our partners and colleagues to build the best built environment they can. Architects and designers are tasked with creating spaces that balance aesthetics, functionality, and environmental goals. We are proud to be adding this EPD for motorized shades to our portfolio of products equipped to help our customer achieve their sustainability goals while meeting the demands of modern building design. By working together, we can shape a built environment that is smarter, greener, and better for everyone.