Climate Impact of Indoor Paint

In 2024 Henning Larsen conducted the report ‘Climate Impact of Indoor Paint’ and evaluated the 30 white indoor paints - 20 for walls and 10 for wood and metal surfaces. The calculations are included as part of the project “Unwanted chemistry in paint”, a collaboration between the Danish Consumer Council “Tænk”, the Danish Technological Institute, Henning Larsen and Aalborg University.

Paint is a highly sought-after and widely used home improvement product, however, there is a notable scarcity of Environmental Product Declarations for indoor paints, making it difficult to understand and compare their climate impact. The research highlights both existing challenges and opportunities for positive consumer shifts based on more informed material choices and reduced environmental impact in interior design.

The study reveals that simple material and application choices can lead to significant differences in climate impact.

“The second biggest influence on the individual paint’s climate impact is the amount of product consumption per square meter. Several factors are at play here: the number of applied layers and the product’s coverage. The number of treatment layers applied is influenced by both the substrate and the consumer’s satisfaction…

…The results also show that the environmental data source has a significant impact on the environmental results. Product-specific EPDs tend to give better values (page 10).”

Visit Henning Larsen’s report page here and read more about the results and how the report was conducted here:

Published in 2024.