EPD Newcomers: Girnghuber GmbH enters the arena
Girnghuber GmbH just filed its first Environmental Product Declaration for an unfired clay brick. That single document opens doors in specs where product‑specific EPDs are now the ticket to play, and it signals a serious push into low‑energy masonry that buyers can actually evaluate.
What landed
Girnghuber GmbH has published its first EPD for the GIMA Lehmziegel, an unfired clay brick. The declaration is cradle to gate with modules C1 to C4 and Module D, issued by Kiwa Ecobility Experts as the program operator. The EPD is current and valid well into 2030. Kiwa is also listed as the developer, so verification and modeling sit under one roof for this debut.
Why this matters in specs now
Unfired clay brick sits in a sweet spot for clients chasing embodied‑carbon reductions without abandoning familiar masonry formats. A product‑specific, third‑party verified EPD converts a sustainability claim into a comparable metric buyers can use in pre‑bid screens and shortlists. That means fewer make‑good assumptions and less penalty risk when projects must account for materials up front.
The manufacturer, in brief
GIMA is a fourth‑generation German maker of ceramic building materials with a mix that spans facing bricks, pavers, facade elements, and roof products through sister brands and subsidiaries. Recent investments created an industrial line for clay blocks made without a firing process, aimed at efficient, scalable masonry for buildings up to national building class 5 in Germany. The company positions the line as mass‑manufacturable and locally sourced, not a boutique one‑off.
The competitive picture
In clay masonry, large incumbents already carry multiple EPDs for fired facing and structural bricks across European markets. Egernsund Wienerberger publishes a broad set that spans several brick colors and production routes under a national program, signaling mature coverage in fired clay. Wienerberger entities in other regions show similar momentum with product family EPDs across structural and facing units. Against that backdrop, Girnghuber’s unfired brick EPD plants a clear flag in a niche where EPD coverage has been thinner relative to fired clay, giving specifiers a like‑for‑like document when evaluating low‑energy alternatives.
Program operator and approvals that de‑risk choice
Kiwa Ecobility Experts is the program operator on the EPD. Separately from the EPD, Germany’s DIBt granted general approval Z‑17.6‑1306 for GIMA’s clay blocks with validity from 27 March 2025 to 27 March 2030, which helps reassure code reviewers and public clients who check paperwork line by line (DIBt, 2025) (DIBt, 2025).
Where it helps commercial teams
One document will not rewrite a category overnight. It does, however, remove a common blocker in tenders that require product‑specific EPDs as a threshold. Sales can now chase projects where unfired masonry is shortlisted on performance and constructability, not just narrative. Marketing gains a credible anchor for claims in datasheets and RFIs. Product teams get a modeled baseline to iterate future improvements.
What to watch next
Two near‑term moves will compound the win. First, extend coverage beyond a single brick to a small, clearly named family so specifiers are never guessing SKUs. Second, align the next declarations to the same program operator unless there is a strong reason to change, which keeps comparability tidy for reviewers. If EPDs for related accessories like mortars or blocks follow, the system sale gets easier.
Can buyers find the EPD today
Yes. GIMA lists the EPD in its clay‑block downloads hub. Share the link in bids and on product pages for visibilty, then cross‑link from the main corporate site so architects do not get lost in navigation (GIMA Lehmziegel Downloads, 2025). If a separate sustainability page on gima‑ziegel.de is planned, mirror the EPD there as well so procurement portals pick it up quickly.
The takeaway
Girnghuber GmbH has entered the transparency arena with an unfired clay brick EPD that meets buyer expectations and sets a practical baseline for future masonry additions. In a category where fired‑brick EPDs are common and unfired options are still emerging, this is the right first brick to lay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which program operator issued Girnghuber’s first EPD and what is the scope
Kiwa Ecobility Experts issued the EPD. Scope is cradle to gate with modules C1–C4 and Module D.
Is there a building authority approval that supports use in Germany
Yes. DIBt approval Z‑17.6‑1306 is valid from 27 March 2025 to 27 March 2030, covering GIMA clay blocks for thin‑bed masonry in Germany (DIBt, 2025) (DIBt, 2025).
Where can specifiers download the EPD
On GIMA’s clay‑block downloads page under Technical documents, labeled EPD (GIMA Lehmziegel Downloads, 2025).
About the Author
Hazel Brooks is an editor at EPD Guide covering EPDs and the fast-evolving sustainability data landscape. She tracks program-operator updates, standards and guidance changes, and new EPD releases, connecting the dots across the market to report on trends, shifting expectations, and the competitive EPD landscape. Her work focuses on making complex data sets easier to navigate and access, so manufacturers and sustainability teams can act with clarity and confidence.
