EPD: What It Is and Why It Gets Requested
A customer, contractor, or public procurement process has asked for an EPD for your product. The email says “Environmental Product Declaration”, and you need to find out what it is, how long it takes, and what it costs. This article answers those questions.
EPD in brief: a third-party verified environmental product declaration
An EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is a standardised product declaration that describes a product’s environmental impacts across its entire lifecycle. It is based on a life cycle assessment (LCA), follows product category-specific rules (PCR), and is verified by an accredited third party.
An EPD is not a marketing document. It is a technical product data sheet. The key idea is that EPDs for products in the same category are comparable with one another, and that the information is reliable because an independent verifier has reviewed the calculation. This is the essential difference between an EPD and a standalone PCF: an EPD is official and publicly available, whereas a PCF is documentation that the company itself stands behind.
In practice, an EPD is a PDF document published in a programme operator’s database. Designers, contractors, and procurement officers download it from there and use the product data in their own calculations.
The standards that define an EPD: ISO 14025, PCR, EN 15804
Three key standards govern the world of EPDs.
ISO 14025 sets the general rules for Type III environmental declarations. It requires third-party verification, a programme operator, and PCR-based calculation.
PCR (Product Category Rules) is a product category-specific rulebook. It defines how LCA is carried out for that particular product category: what the functional unit is, what the system boundary covers, which lifecycle stages are included, and how allocation is handled. A shared PCR ensures that EPDs within the same product category are comparable. PCRs are published by programme operators.
EN 15804 is the European standard for EPDs of construction products. It functions as the core PCR for construction products, defining impact categories, lifecycle modules, and the reporting format. Construction product EPDs from different programme operators all follow EN 15804.
Different product categories often have their own more detailed PCRs (e.g., for concrete products, insulation, windows), but the foundation is always ISO 14025 or EN 15804.
What an EPD contains: structure and impact categories
An EPD document typically includes the following sections:
- Product description: what the product is and what the functional unit is (e.g., 1 m² of insulation board with a 50-year service life).
- Company information and the factory where the product is manufactured.
- System boundary: which lifecycle stages have been assessed.
- Impact categories: numerical results.
- Additional information: recyclability, health and environmental properties.
- Verification details: who verified it, when, and its validity period.
A construction product EPD prepared in accordance with EN 15804 typically reports the following impact categories:
- GWP, climate change (kg CO2-eq).
- AP, acidification.
- EP, eutrophication.
- ODP, ozone depletion.
- POCP, photochemical ozone formation.
- ADP, use of fossil resources and minerals.
In addition, resource use (renewable and non-renewable energy sources, water), waste, and secondary material flows are reported.
The lifecycle is divided into modules:
- A1–A3, product stage (raw materials, transport to factory, manufacturing).
- A4–A5, construction process stage (transport to site, installation).
- B1–B7, use stage (use, maintenance, repair, energy and water consumption).
- C1–C4, end-of-life stage (demolition, transport, processing, disposal).
- D, recycling and reuse benefits (reported separately).
The mandatory modules vary: at minimum A1–A3 (cradle-to-gate), at most A1–C4 and D (cradle-to-grave plus benefits). EN 15804+A2 (2019/2021) tightened requirements and makes many modules mandatory in new construction product EPDs.
The EPD report also includes a technical description of the product, an overview of the manufacturing process, the emission factor databases used (most commonly Ecoinvent), assumptions, and a reference to the applicable PCR. The verifier reviews all of this before approval.
Who verifies an EPD and where it is published
An EPD cannot be self-published. The process requires:
A programme operator, which publishes PCRs, maintains the EPD registry, and is responsible for the system. The most widely used operators in Finland and the Nordic countries are EPD International (EPD System), RTS EPD, and the German IBU. EPDs from different operators are generally accepted interchangeably.
A third-party verifier, who is accredited to review the LCA calculation and the EPD report. The verifier checks that the PCR has been followed, that the data is sufficient, and that the calculation is correct. Verification can be handled in collaboration with NGS: we coordinate the verifier and respond to comments on the client’s behalf. Learn more about our verification service.
Publication takes place in the programme operator’s database, from which the EPD is publicly searchable. Designers, contractors, and procurement officers look for product data specifically in these registries.
When an EPD is mandatory and when it is a competitive advantage
An EPD is not a legal requirement at the product level, but it is in practice required in many situations.
Effectively mandatory:
- Construction projects that calculate the building’s carbon footprint. Finnish building legislation guides the calculation of carbon footprints for new buildings, and designers need product EPDs to use manufacturer-specific data instead of generic emission factors. Read more in the article Low-Carbon Construction and Building Product EPDs.
- Public procurement, where environmental criteria are scored. A tender notice may include an EPD requirement as a mandatory criterion or as an additional scored factor.
- Large B2B customers with their own procurement criteria, particularly retail chains, real estate investors, and export customers.
- EU Taxonomy-aligned financing projects, where the financier requires documented environmental profiles.
Competitive advantage:
- Marketing low-carbon products without the risk of greenwashing allegations.
- Differentiating from competitors that do not yet have an EPD. Through the EPD, the designer sees the manufacturer’s actual emission figure rather than a generic factor.
- Documentation favoured by EU Taxonomy-compliant financiers.
- Access to large construction projects where all materials are calculated in accordance with EN 15978.
A small but recurring observation: once one competitor publishes an EPD, pressure to follow tends to build quickly. The situation shifts from EPD being a value-add to the absence of an EPD becoming something that requires explanation. If you are still weighing whether an EPD is the right choice or whether a carbon footprint would suffice, read Carbon Footprint or EPD.
The EPD process in practice
Producing an EPD typically follows five stages.
1. PCR selection. The correct product category and its applicable PCR are identified. For some product categories there are several PCR options from different programme operators.
2. Data collection. The product recipe (bill of materials), manufacturing energy consumption, raw material transport, packaging, and waste. Sometimes also supplier EPDs or emission data.
3. LCA calculation. The data is modelled in LCA software and combined with emission factor databases. The PCR specifies how allocations and assumptions are made.
4. EPD report. The results are presented in the format required by the PCR. The report also includes mandatory background material (the LCA report), which the verifier uses.
5. Verification and publication. An accredited verifier reviews the report, raises comments, and approves it. The EPD is then published in the programme operator’s database.
Timeline is typically 4–6 months from preparation to publication. The bottleneck is almost always data collection.
Validity is typically 5 years, after which the EPD is updated or expires. The update checks whether the product’s recipe, manufacturing methods, or energy sources have changed significantly. If the changes are material, data collection is carried out again.
Cost varies by product category, complexity, and portfolio breadth. The main cost drivers are the verifier’s fee, the programme operator’s publication fee, and the volume of work involved in the LCA calculation. Covering multiple products within the same category under a single average EPD is the most cost-effective approach, provided the products are sufficiently similar to one another.
Frequently asked questions
What does EPD mean?
EPD stands for Environmental Product Declaration. It is a standardised, third-party verified document that describes a product’s environmental impacts across its lifecycle.
Is an EPD mandatory?
An EPD is not a statutory requirement at the product level in Finland, but it is increasingly required in construction projects, public procurement, and when qualifying as a supplier to large B2B customers.
How long is an EPD valid?
Typically 5 years. After that, the EPD must be updated or it expires. The update checks whether the product’s recipe, manufacturing methods, and emission profile have changed significantly.
What is the difference between an EPD and a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is a single figure (CO2 equivalents per unit). An EPD is a standardised report that includes the carbon footprint alongside several other impact categories, and is verified by a third party. An EPD is based on an LCA, of which a PCF is one component.
What is a PCR and why does it matter?
PCR (Product Category Rules) is a product category-specific rulebook that defines how an LCA is carried out for that particular product category. The PCR ensures that EPDs within the same product category are comparable. Without a PCR, products from different manufacturers could not be compared.
Can an EPD be produced for any product?
In principle, yes, but a PCR must exist for the product category. If no PCR exists, developing one takes time and resources. For most industrial product categories, a PCR is already available through one of the programme operators.
A customer has asked for an EPD. Where do you start?
We handle EPD calculation, reporting, and coordinate verification on your behalf. We provide a realistic timeline and cost estimate before work begins. Send us your product category and the customer’s request, and we will let you know within one business day which PCR applies to your product.
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