Dan Redfern of Marley explains why Environmental Product Declarations are an essential resource for architects seeking to specify sustainable materials.
With the built environment accounting for 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions, architects play a vital role in decarbonising buildings. They are at the forefront of designing energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. With growing demand to specify materials that meet environmental and regulatory goals, having access to transparent, verifiable data on building materials is essential.
EPDs play an important role in enabling them to make informed product choices, ensuring that sustainability is embedded in the fabric of architectural design.
But what is an EPD?
An EPD assesses a product’s environmental impact across its entire life cycle – from cradle to grave. Conducting a full lifecycle assessment (LCA) involves five key modules: raw material extraction and processing, manufacturing, transportation, the use phase, and end-of-life considerations, such as recycling or disposal.
These assessments are independently verified under the rigorous standards of ISO 14025 and EN 15804. Measuring impact across nine key areas, including carbon footprint, resource depletion and recyclability. This transparency allows architects to compare products fairly and choose materials that align with sustainability goals.
Beyond environmental accountability, EPDs also contribute to crucial sustainable building certification schemes, such as BREEAM and LEED, assisting architects in meeting sustainability targets and securing project accreditations.
Types of EPDs
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) come in different types, depending on the scope and specificity of the data provided.
Single company, product specific EPD: Provides data for one product, made by one manufacturer; applicable if manufacturing of a product at different plants uses the same process.
Grouped / Multiple Product EPD: Includes similar products made by the same manufacturer, if the environmental performance indicators don’t differ more than 10%.
Project and Product Specific EPD: Provides data for a project or product requested by an EPD user, when the transportation calculation would differ from that in a verified EPD.
Generic / Sector / Industry Average EPD: This type of EPD is developed by an industry association and these results are based on averages from the sector which is defined in the EPD.
The final EPD is issued by an independent programme operator, who follows a set of product category rules (PCRs) ensuring the products under review are assessed in a consistent and unbiased manner.
Products can follow a self-certified or third-party verification route, in line with the two of the most important ISO standards.
ISO 14021 Environmental labels and declarations: Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling) is a standard for claims made by the manufacturer themselves. They are defined as: “an environmental claim that is made, without independent third-party certification, by manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers or anyone else likely to benefit from such a claim.”
Conversely, ISO 14025 Environmental labels and declarations: (Type III environmental declarations, principles and procedures) — requires impartial verification via an independent programme operator.
All programme operators will ensure the carbon footprint assessment is followed in a consistent and transparent manner, and according to ISO standards.
Understanding the full LCA of a building or different construction products within it, enables those working in the construction industry to make better material selections as they seek to reduce the environmental impact of a completed project. Access to an EPD can be an important part of this decision-making process, as well as providing acknowledged evidence for credits under important rating schemes, such as BREEAM and LEED.
The growth of EPD availability across the industry will help the sector make better, more environmentally informed product selections. However, this depends on easy access to third-party verified and transparent evidence sources, such as EPDs, so data-backed decisions can be made.
By offering EPDs, manufacturers can support those across the construction industry to enhance environmental transparency. As architects navigate the growing pressures of designing with sustainability in mind, verified environmental data, such as EPDs, provides an essential foundation for responsible specification, towards a net-zero future.
Dan Redfern is head of marketing communications at Marley