Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is an independently verified and recorded documentation of the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle. The EPD provides detailed information on environmental performance based on international standards and guidelines.
This is a comprehensive guide to the development, certification, data requirements and methodologies for preparing a credible EPD, as well as how to effectively communicate EPD results to consumers and professional users.
EPD development and certification based on international guidelines
EPDs are developed according to international standards such as ISO 14025 and EN 15804. These standards ensure that EPDs are consistent, transparent and comparable.
- ISO 14025: Defines principles and procedures for the development of environmental declarations, including third-party verification.
- EN 15804: Particularly relevant for building and construction products, it provides detailed rules by product category, allowing EPDs to be compared within this sector.
A key component in the development of EPDs is conducting a life cycle analysis (LCA). The analysis assesses the environmental impact of a product from raw material extraction, production, use and finally disposal. To ensure credibility and objectivity, EPDs must be verified by an independent third party. The verification process involves reviewing LCA data, methodologies and compliance with relevant standards.
Find out which LCA standards are most important!
Data requirements and methodologies for preparing a credible EPD
The quality and reliability of the data used in the LCA is crucial for a credible EPD. Data can be primary data, which is what comes directly from the manufacturer, or secondary data, which is taken from databases or literature.
- Primary data: Collected specifically for the product, such as energy consumption during production.
- Secondary data: Generic data from LCA databases that can be used for materials and processes where primary data is not available.
The use of established methodologies for LCA is necessary for consistency and credibility. For example, ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 both provide a framework for LCA, while specific product category rules (PCR) provide detailed guidelines for data collection and analysis for different product categories.
EPDs should include information on various environmental impact categories such as:
- Global Warming Potential (GWP )
- Ozone depletion potential (ODP )
- Acidification (AP )
- Eutrophication potential (EP )
- Photochemical oxidant formation potential (POCP )
Communication of EPD results to consumers and professional users
EPDs should be easily accessible and understandable to both ordinary consumers and professional stakeholders. The information should be presented in a clear and concise manner. It can often be made available digitally. This also provides the opportunity to use, for example, infographics or summary boxes for key information.
How do LCA and EPD work together?
By using EPDs in the market, we help consumers make informed choices by giving them insight into the environmental impact of the products they buy. For architects, engineers and builders, EPDs provide the information needed to select the most sustainable materials and products in projects. They can also be used in sustainability reports and to achieve environmental certifications such as BREEAM or LEED.
Otherwise, companies can also use an EPD as a marketing tool to highlight their environmental commitments and sustainable practices. A credible EPD can also help improve a company's reputation and competitiveness in a market.
Integrating an EDP into digital platforms and databases such as building information models (BIM) makes it easier for professional users to access environmental data in the planning and design phase.
Developing and certifying a credible EPD thus requires a thorough LCA-based analysis and high quality data as well as compliance with international standards. By communicating EPD results clearly and effectively, companies can not only meet regulatory requirements, but also meet consumers, businesses and society's growing demand for sustainable information. EPDs provide an objective and transparent assessment of the environmental impact of products and processes, which in turn can be used to promote sustainability and market competitiveness.
