_About us
EPEA GmbH, founded in 1987 in Hamburg by Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, is an international innovation partner for environmentally friendly products, processes, buildings and urban districts. We are establishing Cradle to Cradle® as a method for the circular economy in all industrial sectors as well as in the construction and real estate industries. In doing so, we support companies and the public sector: from the molecular to the modular level, from the chemical to the city.
our vision
_Circular Economy
THE CRADLE TO CRADLE PIONEERS
_The mindset
_Our location
_Our network
_Develop solutions together
We're the original. For over 35 years, we have been working with the Cradle to Cradle (R) Design Framework and have optimized numerous products and buildings. We are the world's largest assessment body for Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) and a pioneer in circular engineering.
“We can transform the doomsday discussion of recent years into innovations. ”
Since our founding, we have been supporting players and companies from industry, public sector and science in implementing circular processes and innovative product developments. For this purpose, we apply knowledge from chemistry, biology, environmental and real estate industries to develop or optimize all types of products regarding their material health and recyclability using the Cradle to Cradle® design principle developed by us. We also develop concepts for closing material cycles in production processes, buildings or cities.
_EPEA — Excellent Innovation Partner and C2C Assessment Body
For manufacturers, it is a question of their market positioning and future business orientation to design their own products in such a way that they also function in a circular economic system. Not an easy task — but with huge opportunities in creating the Circular Economyis connected.
For over 30 years as an innovation partner and knowledge trustee, we have worked as an innovation partner and knowledge trustee with product manufacturers, suppliers, chemical and paint suppliers and designers worldwide. We support companies with global supply chains in implementing Cradle to Cradle® building products for technical and biological cycles. Together with our partners, we optimize all processes from the development of chemicals and basic materials to the return of certified building products and furniture.
_EPEA milestones
2019
Drees & Sommer and the former EPEA Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH have been working together since 2019. After five years of a close partnership advising builders and investors, Drees & Sommer and Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart have joined forces under the new name EPEA GmbH — Part of Drees & Sommer. The aim is to establish the Cradle to Cradle® design principle for the circular economy in all industrial sectors.
2013
Drees & Sommer and EPEA have been working together since 2013 to advance Cradle to Cradle® in the real estate and construction industries. The goal is recyclable, healthy and valuable buildings.
2010
The Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute was founded in California in 2010 to lead the development and certification of the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ product standard as an independent non-profit institute.
2009
Ellen MacArthur visits experts around the world on their learning journey on the concept of circulation. In a multi-day workshop at EPEA, the foundations for the well-known “butterfly” graphic of the circular economy was created — based on the Cradle to Cradle® framework with the clear distinction between biosphere and technosphere.
2008—2012
The EPEA network is growing internationally: Establishment of EPEA Nederland, EPEA Switzerland, EPEA Taiwan and EPEA Brazil.
2006
The film Waste=Food by Rob Van Hattum is released. In this, the Cradle to Cradle design principle is shown on film for the first time. The multi-award-winning film is available here.
2001
The first book to describe the Cradle to Cradle® design principle in detail is published. The title is: Simply produce intelligently. The book by Michael Braungart and William McDonough quickly becomes a worldwide bestseller.
1992
Development of the “Intelligent Product System” (IPS): In articles and conferences, EPEA has communicated the thesis that sustainable environmental protection can be achieved when consumer goods are manufactured for a closed cycle.
1987
Founding of EPEA (Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency) in Hamburg by Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart. The word “encouragement” is meant to contrast the term “protection” found in the “U.S. Environmental Protection Act.” A cornerstone of EPEA's corporate philosophy is to firmly promote cooperation between relevant organizations, industry and the state.
