Congrats Q-Blue: first EPDs hit the market
Q-Blue has entered the transparency arena. The Dutch maker of shower wastewater heat‑recovery units just published its first Environmental Product Declarations, giving specifiers credible numbers for a fast‑growing efficiency niche. Here is what landed, who verified it, and how this debut changes the competitive math in bids and submittals.
What Q-Blue just published
Q-Blue released two product‑specific EPDs in April 2025 for its copper drain‑water heat exchangers: Showersave QB1‑10 and Showersave QB1‑21. The scope is cradle to gate with options, including end‑of‑life modules C1 to C4 and module D. Both documents are verified and published by Kiwa‑Ecobility Experts, with Kiwa also listed as the LCA and EPD developer.
These EPDs cover specific models within the QB1 family, which serves residential and multi‑residential showers. That family focus matters because it tells specifers exactly which SKUs the verified results apply to, not just a generic technology.
Why it matters in specs now
In many project workflows, products without product‑specific EPDs are modeled with conservative default impacts. That penalty can push a good option off shortlists even when performance is strong. A third‑party verified EPD gives design teams a defensible number and reduces substitution risk during value engineering.
This is especially relevant as owners ask for transparent carbon accounting in interiors and MEP‑adjacent packages. Plumbing‑side heat recovery is a small line item that can swing totals when the data is missing.
Work for Q-Blue or selling against them?
Follow us for product-by-product analysis of shower wastewater heat recovery EPDs to see which models get spec'd and how they stack up against VALOREU and Recoup Energy Solutions.
Category snapshot and closest rivals
Q‑Blue plays in wastewater heat recovery for showers. It is a focused corner of the market with few public EPDs today.
- VALOREU in France has a current EPD for a vertical wastewater heat‑recovery unit published through INIES, which signals comparable transparency in this niche.
- Recoup Energy Solutions in the UK does not show a current, public EPD in the major directories commonly used by specifiers as of February 8, 2026.
- Joulia in Switzerland similarly does not show a current, public EPD in those directories at this time.
Net result, Q‑Blue joins a very short list of brands with product‑specific declarations in shower heat recovery. That narrows apples‑to‑apples comparisons and can tilt bids toward documented options.
A quick bit of company context
Q‑Blue designs and manufactures drain‑water heat exchangers that pre‑warm incoming water using heat from outgoing shower water. The fit is residential and multi‑unit buildings where hot‑water demand is steady and space is tight. These are engineering‑led products where verified performance data unlocks conversations with MEP consultants and housing developers.
Put the documents where specifiers look
We were not able to find EPD download links on Q‑Blue’s site as of today. Their product page for QB1 is here for reference: https://www.q-blue.nl/producten/q-blue-showersave/. Visibility is key, so adding EPD PDFs to product download sections or a sustainability page will shorten back‑and‑forth during submittals and pre‑bid RFI stages.
Timing tip for future releases
These EPDs landed in April 2025. If an EPD is issued by the program operator and then appears in global directories weeks or months later, projects can miss it. That delay can be reduced with tight publication coordination so the listing goes live within a day or two. If helpful, reach out using the contact details under this article for pointers.
What teams should do next
If more QB models are in active sales, consider rounding out coverage with additional product‑specific EPDs or a carefully scoped family EPD. Keep your chosen operator and PCR consistent with what competitors use so comparisons stay clean. Most importantly, pick an LCA partner that takes on the heavy data collection from plants and suppliers so your engineers are not stuck chasing spreadsheets.
Q‑Blue’s first EPDs are a solid, on‑ramp to more specs. The numbers are now public, the category is ready, and buyers can move without guesswork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which products are covered by Q-Blue’s first EPDs and what is their scope?
Two product‑specific EPDs cover the Showersave QB1‑10 and QB1‑21 copper drain‑water heat exchangers. Scope is cradle to gate with options, including C1–C4 and module D.
Who verified and developed Q-Blue’s EPDs?
They are verified and published by Kiwa‑Ecobility Experts, with Kiwa listed as the LCA and EPD developer.
Do close competitors have similar EPD coverage today?
VALOREU has a current EPD via INIES. We do not see current, public EPDs for Recoup Energy Solutions or Joulia in the main specifier directories as of February 8, 2026.
Where should Q-Blue host the EPDs for maximum impact?
Place the PDFs in the product downloads and on a sustainability page so they are one click away during RFIs and submittals.
About the Author
Walker Ryan is a climate-tech entrepreneur focused on driving industrial decarbonization through better data. As the founder and CEO of Parq, he helps manufacturers generate high-quality, third-party–verified carbon disclosures at scale—accelerating a traditionally slow and expensive process. Before starting Parq, Walker led over $200 million in sustainability-focused investments as VP of Strategy & Growth at ReStream Solutions, following earlier experience in investment banking at Deutsche Bank. He brings a rare mix of capital markets expertise and hands-on sustainability knowledge to tackling the infrastructure of industrial emissions.
