Who uses EPDs – and why?

• • Manufacturers use EPDs to understand, document and reduce the environmental impacts of their products
  • Designers and engineers use EPDs to select materials with lower climate impact
  • Sustainability managers rely on EPDs to meet regulatory and reporting requirements
  • Contracting authorities use EPDs as documentation in procurement and tenders

Standards behind an EPD

Construction-related EPDs are developed in accordance with recognized international standards, including:

• • • • ISO 14040 / ISO 14044 – Life Cycle Assessment
      • ISO 14025 – Type III environmental declarations
      • EN 15804 or ISO 21930 – Construction product rules

These standards ensure transparency, consistency and comparability across products in the same category.

Different types of EPDs and environmental documentation

Not all environmental declarations are the same. Understanding the differences is essential.

Third-party verified EPDs

• • These are the most widely accepted and robust type of EPDs. The full document is reviewed and approved by an independent verifier and published by an EPD program operator.
  • They are typically valid for five years unless significant1
  • 1 Defined as +/- 10% deviation in the impact category GWP-total within each life cycle stage. changes occur in raw materials, production or supply chains.

Project-specific EPDs

• • Developed for a specific project or tender, often verified internally through established quality systems. These are not publicly published and are clearly marked as internally verified.

Self-declared environmental claims

• • Statements made by manufacturers without third-party verification. These must comply with ISO 14021 and be truthful and verifiable, but they do not have the same credibility as verified EPDs.

System-verified EPDs

• • System-verified EPDs are generated automatically through a verified and independently approved calculation system. In this approach, the methodology, data structure, and generation process are assessed and verified to ensure consistency, accuracy, and compliance with relevant standards.
  • This verification model enables efficient, scalable, and standardized production of EPDs across large product portfolios, supporting increased availability of environmental data in projects, tenders, and building assessments. System-verified EPDs are widely used in the construction industry and play an important role in meeting the growing demand for environmental documentation at scale.

How to read an EPD: the key sections

Although layouts may vary, most EPDs contain the same core information:

1. General information

• • Includes product name, manufacturer, reference standards, system boundaries, and validity period. In addition, the relevant product category rules (PCR) on which the declaration is based must be stated. It is the relevant PCR which prescribes the rules and special considerations for developing an EPD for a given product.
  • Finally, a verification statement confirming how – and by whom – the EPD has been verified is usually included in the general information section. Always check this section carefully.

 

2. Declared or functional unit

In order to ensure fair comparisons, the unit to which all environmental impacts relate must be stated. There are two distinct types of unit declarations:

• • Functional units not only declare the physical quantity but also the function achieved or delivered by the product. For example: one light bulb delivering 1000 hours of lamination for a 50 sqm room.
  • Declared units give the quantity and unit of measure for the product (1 kg, 1 m2, 1 piece) without any reference to the function achieved

 

3. Life cycle scope

Defines which life cycle stages are included:

• • Cradle-to-gate (modules A1–A3)
  • Cradle-to-grave (modules A1-A5, B1-B6, C1-C4)
  • Cradle-to-cradle (modules A1-A5, B1-B6, C1-C4 and D)

For 3rd party verified EPDs, the PCR defines a list of mandatory modules that must be declared at a minimum for a valid EPD. The remaining modules may be declared or their exclusion explicitly stated.

 

4. Data quality and assumptions

Explains where data comes from, how it was modeled, and which assumptions were made. This is essential for understanding reliability and comparability.

 

5. Environmental impact results

This section presents quantified impacts such as:

• • Global Warming Potential (GWP)
  • Ozone Depletion Potential
  • Acidification
  • Eutrophication

For many users GWP (kg CO₂e) is the most commonly referenced indicator.

1. General information 

3.Life cycle scope