An EPD is the audited spec sheet a tender asks for.
Not a claim. A verified declaration to EN 15804 or ISO 14025.
Runs on your public disclosures. Nothing from you.
You are the Marketing Director or Sustainability Manager at a building-materials, chemicals or manufacturing company. A public-sector tender in Europe or the Middle East asked for an EPD. You have never issued one.
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is an independently verified document that quantifies the environmental impacts of a product across its life cycle, published under ISO 14025 and, for construction products in Europe, EN 15804. An EPD is not a marketing claim: it is a formal declaration to a Product Category Rule (PCR), verified by an accredited third party, and published in an EPD programme (International EPD System, Institut Bauen und Umwelt, and others).
What EPD actually is
An EPD covers a defined product, calculated on a defined functional unit, over a defined life cycle. The impact categories go beyond carbon: they include ozone depletion, acidification, eutrophication, water use, resource depletion, and more.
The PCR fixes the rules. For construction products in the EU, EN 15804+A2 is the umbrella; each product family has its own PCR (concrete, steel, insulation). Following the PCR ensures EPDs across suppliers are comparable.
An EPD is valid for five years and must be re-verified when the underlying LCA data changes materially. It is registered in a public database, so procurement teams can look it up.
Why now
European and Middle-Eastern green-procurement policies now specify EPDs by name in public tenders. In Europe, the Construction Products Regulation and the Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria drive uptake. In the UAE, the Estidama and Al Sa'fat rating systems reference EPDs.
What breaks when your carbon number is not defensible.
Three failure modes we see on every EPD scan.
LCA without a matching PCR
The company runs an LCA study but not to the product-specific PCR. The verifier cannot certify the EPD.
One EPD across multiple sites
A single EPD issued for a product made at three plants with different inputs. The EPD is invalidated on audit; separate EPDs per site are required.
Data older than the PCR window
The LCA uses data from more than three years ago. The PCR requires data within a defined recency window. Verifier rejects.
Three moves that make EPD defensible.
PCR-first workflow
Carbon-OS starts with the matching PCR and drives data collection to the PCR requirements. No verifier surprise.
Per-site EPDs, one platform
Multi-site manufacturers get per-plant EPDs from the same shared workflow, each with its own inputs.
Verifier-ready evidence pack
Every LCI dataset, every allocation choice, every cut-off decision documented in one place for the third-party verifier.
See where your EPD number stands. Free scan.
Run the free Carbon X-Ray →What people ask, straight.
How long does an EPD take?
Six to twelve weeks for a first EPD if the LCA data exists, longer if starting from scratch. Verification adds two to four weeks.
How much does an EPD cost?
Programme fees and verifier fees typically run USD 5,000 to USD 15,000 per EPD for a straightforward construction product. Complex products with wide supply chains are higher.
How long is an EPD valid?
Five years, subject to re-verification if the underlying LCA data changes materially or the PCR is updated.
Which EPD programme should we register with?
International EPD System (Sweden-based, global reach), Institut Bauen und Umwelt (Germany-based, strong in construction), UL Environment (US-based, growing EU reach). Choose based on your buyer geography.
How does an EPD relate to ISO 14067?
An EPD covers many impact categories, one of which is the carbon footprint. The carbon-footprint calculation inside an EPD is conducted per the applicable PCR, which aligns with ISO 14067 principles.