The construction sector is considered one of the biggest emissions contributors globally, with estimates going as high as 37%. This is largely because of the carbon-intensive materials like cement, steel and aluminium used in construction, as well as energy consumption during the building’s lifetime. Amidst tightening climate goals, rising material scrutiny and evolving stakeholder expectations, the industry must now shift towards more transparent and sustainable practices. A key enabler in this transformation is the strategic use of EPDs for sustainable construction. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are rapidly becoming the industry standard for communicating the environmental impact of building products. As they provide independently verified and standardised data, EPDs enable stakeholders across the built environment to make informed, eco-conscious decisions.
Understanding Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a comprehensive document that quantifies the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. It is based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and must adhere to international standards, particularly:
- ISO 14025: Governs Type III environmental declarations (quantitative and verified)
- EN 15804: Specifies how to develop EPDs for construction products in Europe
- ISO 21930: A global reference for construction-related EPDs
Key Environmental Indicators in an EPD
These are the quantifiable environmental impacts associated with a product's entire life cycle. These indicators are derived through an LCA and are used to assess and communicate how a product affects the environment from raw material extraction through manufacturing, use and end-of-life disposal or recycling. In an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), they form the core content that enables stakeholders, such as sustainability managers, architects and regulators, to make informed decisions. Environmental indicators of interests are:
- Global Warming Potential (GWP): A product’s carbon footprint across its lifecycle
- Resource Use: Consumption of non-renewable and renewable materials
- Water Footprint: Total water use and impact on local water resources
- Acidification and Eutrophication: Impact on soil and water systems
- Ozone Depletion and Smog Formation: Air quality implications
These declarations are third-party verified and developed under Product Category Rules (PCRs), ensuring comparability within similar product categories.
The Importance of EPDs for Sustainable Construction
1. Improve Supply Chain TransparencySustainable construction relies on accurate information about the materials and systems used. EPDs support transparency by offering:
- Standardised environmental data: Facilitates close comparison between materials
- Lifecycle-based insights: Helps identify stages with the highest impact (e.g., packaging, transport)
- Traceability: Builds trust through verified disclosures, enabling ethical sourcing
The UK Green Building Council recognises EPDs as being essential parts of material passports; a digital record that contains robust details about the environmental impact of construction materials which enhance circular construction.
2. Support Green Building Certifications
Certification systems such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen or the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) increasingly incorporate EPDs as part of their material credit criteria. This makes them indispensable for projects seeking sustainability credentials.
3. Enhance Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Accountability and Net Zero Progress
Organisations that prioritise ESG values in their operations can use EPDs to measure progress across various dimensions, including:
- Identify and reduce embodied carbon in supply chains
- Align with Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for Scope 3 disclosures
- Demonstrate transparency and responsible product stewardship
- Back up environmental claims with verified data, reducing greenwashing risk
Incorporating EPDs for sustainable construction allows design and construction firms to demonstrate progress toward decarbonisation and publish credible, auditable sustainability reports.
Benefits of EPDs for Manufacturers and Product Suppliers
1. Market Differentiation and Sales Advantage
Manufacturers that invest in EPDs for sustainable construction position themselves as leaders in sustainability. This credibility helps them:
- Win new projects: Especially in certified buildings, government tenders and ESG-led sustainable procurement
- Boost brand recognition: Appeal to sustainability-focused specifiers, architects and contractors
- Stand out in crowded markets: Where environmental performance is a key decision factor
Many countries, particularly in Europe, mandate or strongly encourage the use of EPDs in public infrastructure and government-led projects.
- EU Green Public Procurement (GPP): Favour EPD-certified products in tenders
- Australia’s Infrastructure Sustainability Council: Uses EPDs to calculate credits under its rating tools
- Netherlands & Sweden: Require EPDs for some government buildings
The LCA process underlying EPD development reveals valuable operational insights, helping manufacturers:
- Pinpoint emissions hotspots: Such as energy-intensive inputs or high transport miles
- Optimise material use: Explore circular design or recycled content
- Reduce production waste: By identifying inefficiencies
Challenges in Producing EPDs
Despite their value, developing an EPD can be resource-intensive and complex. Key challenges include:
- Data granularity: Requires detailed data across raw materials, energy usage, transport, production waste, and end-of-life
- Standard compliance: Must adhere to sector-specific PCRs and global norms like EN 15804 or ISO 21930
- Verification costs: EPDs must be validated by an accredited third-party verifier
- Ongoing updates: Typically valid for 5 years; must be revised with product or process changes
The Role of EPDs in Green Buildings
- Embodied Carbon as a Critical Metric
As operational emissions decline, embodied carbon becomes more significant. EPDs are essential to tackling this hidden environmental cost, as they offer the transparency needed to track, report, and reduce this footprint. - Integration into Digital Workflows and BIM
With the Building Information Modelling (BIM) gaining traction, EPDs are increasingly digitised and integrated into design tools. Digital libraries with EPD data can be embedded within BIM systems enabling real-time impact assessment during material selection. This also supports the automation of environmental compliance documentation.
The Bottom Line
The utilisation of EPDs for sustainable construction is becoming increasingly important in the pursuit of environmentally conscious procedures within the industry. Not only do they offer robust, credible and standardised environmental data on products, but they also support better design, sourcing and reporting. As the industry advances towards net zero, sustainability and ESG managers can leverage EPDs to advance internal decarbonisation strategies. Our expert sustainability scientists can help guide your organisation through each step of obtaining EPD certificates.