Would you buy food without reading the label? Probably not. Nutrition facts help consumers make informed choices about calories, ingredients and serving sizes. They give people a basic level of transparency about what they’re putting into their bodies.
That same level of transparency is now making its way into construction. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) function like nutrition labels for building products. They provide standardized information about a product’s environmental footprint, giving architects, engineers and contractors critical data to evaluate sustainability during the design and build phases.
As the construction industry confronts growing demands to reduce embodied carbon and operate more responsibly, EPDs are becoming essential tools. But what exactly are they, how do they work and why should the AEC community care?
Defining the EPD
EPDs are third-party verified documents that summarize a product’s environmental impact, based on a comprehensive lifecycle assessment (LCA). Originally developed in Sweden in the 1990s, EPDs have grown in global relevance as sustainability standards and green building certifications have expanded.
EPDs aim to provide clarity about a material’s carbon footprint and other environmental effects across its entire lifecycle—from raw material extraction to manufacturing, use and eventual disposal.
“EPDs allow design teams to make informed choices about materials and their impacts on the planet,” said Jon Penndorf, studio director of regenerative design at Perkins & Will. “The increased transparency is something we can share with end-user and owner clients to help them develop their facility’s story.”
This story isn’t just about environmental stewardship. In many cases, it’s also a way to meet specific performance targets, adhere to sustainability frameworks like LEED and BREEAM and differentiate a project in a competitive marketplace.
Not All EPDs Are Created Equal
While EPDs offer valuable data about a product’s environmental profile, it’s important to remember that the presence of an EPD doesn’t automatically mean a product is better for the planet.
“Just because a product has an EPD doesn’t mean it’s environmentally superior to alternatives from a climate perspective,” Penndorf said.
An EPD simply signals that the manufacturer has gone through the process of measuring and disclosing environmental data. That transparency is valuable—but not a guarantee of low impact. Evaluating whether a product is truly a better option still requires context, comparison and often additional certifications or data sources.
“Having an EPD, especially when combined with other transparency data such as Health Product Declarations and third-party materiality certifications, including Greenguard and Cradle to Cradle, provides a holistic understanding of a product’s impacts,” Penndorf added.
The Purpose Behind EPDs
EPDs play a growing role in sustainability strategies, particularly as the construction sector seeks to reduce its contribution to climate change. Building materials and processes account for a significant portion of global carbon emissions. Choosing products with lower embodied carbon can significantly reduce a project’s environmental impact.
“EPDs can also demonstrate how manufacturers are making strides to reduce embodied carbon of their goods, which can help push the market toward a lower carbon impact,” Penndorf said.
What Makes an EPD Credible?
To be trusted and useful in real-world projects, an EPD must meet specific credibility standards:
- Compliance with ISO standards: EPDs must follow standardized international procedures for lifecycle assessments.
- Adherence to product category rules (PCRs): These define how LCAs are conducted for different types of products and ensure consistency within categories.
- Third-party certification: This adds an extra layer of impartiality and credibility.
- Functional unit definition: EPDs should clearly indicate the measurement basis, such as “per square foot” or “per kilogram.”
- Defined lifecycle stages: The document should identify the scope of the analysis, whether it includes only production (cradle to gate), full usage (cradle to site) or complete lifecycle impacts (cradle to grave).
“All of these characteristics are essential to understand what has been evaluated, so we can accurately use that data to tally the impact of a material based on the amount in a design,” Penndorf said.
These lifecycle stages help project teams understand what’s covered in the analysis and how it aligns with the broader environmental goals of the project. For instance, if a project prioritizes end-of-life recyclability or maintenance costs, an EPD limited to cradle-to-gate analysis may not be sufficient.
Making the Most of an EPD
While EPDs provide valuable data, using them effectively requires a degree of diligence. The first step is verifying the document’s authenticity and scope. Check whether it has been reviewed by an accredited third party and whether it remains valid—EPDs typically have a five-year shelf life.
It’s also important to examine the details of how the EPD was developed. Not all EPDs are generated using the same assumptions, methodologies or functional units, which can make direct comparisons difficult.
“Comparing EPDs that were created using different methodologies, LCAs or PCRs is challenging,” Penndorf noted. “A valid comparison needs a clear picture of the circumstances under which a product or material will be used.”
In other words, don’t assume that a lower carbon number in one EPD means it’s the better product. Different inputs may skew the comparison. Even product variants can affect performance.
“For example, an EPD may document the impacts of batt insulation,” Penndorf said. “But that same batt insulation may come in different thicknesses or include a paper or foil backing. Each variable must be accounted for to confirm that the specified product and impacts align.”
EPDs, Clients and Code Compliance
Many architects and contractors are now expected to account for environmental performance in client proposals. Whether or not a client demands EPDs specifically, including them in the specification process can serve as evidence of thoughtful design, compliance with ESG frameworks and support for green certifications.
Even so, not every building product comes with an EPD. In fact, many manufacturers don’t publish them at all—sometimes due to proprietary ingredients, complex product composition or lack of internal expertise in lifecycle assessments.
“This could be because their products are complex, with many materials and parts,” Penndorf said. “Or the manufacturer may feel the product is proprietary and therefore doesn’t want to release ingredient information.”
For project teams aiming to complete full-building lifecycle assessments or reduce overall embodied carbon, the absence of EPDs can be a challenge. In these cases, design professionals may prioritize manufacturers who do publish EPDs, both to simplify specification and support broader sustainability goals.
Moreover, regulations are increasingly shifting toward transparency. In several jurisdictions, building codes now include mandates around energy efficiency and environmental disclosure. EPDs can help meet these regulatory benchmarks—and ensure future readiness as standards continue to evolve.
“In addition, many countries and regions now require new buildings to achieve specified levels of energy efficiency or to use environmentally friendly materials,” Penndorf said. “As building codes and regulations become more stringent, the use of EPDs will likely grow.”
Building a Transparent Future
The AEC industry is under pressure—from regulators, clients and the environment itself—to make more responsible choices about materials and methods. EPDs offer a clear path forward.
While not every project will require them today, EPDs are quickly becoming a baseline expectation for sustainable design. They equip professionals with the information needed to reduce carbon emissions, choose responsibly and demonstrate environmental performance.
EPDs aren’t a silver bullet. But they are a crucial part of the toolkit for anyone committed to building smarter, cleaner and more consciously.
Whether you’re working on a new build, a retrofit or a tenant improvement, now is the time to start reading the label.
