EPD obligation or "nice to have"?

Climate protection is a pervasive and ever-present issue of our time. International climate agreements, such as those of Rio de Janeiro and Paris, provide clear guidelines, because a genuine reduction in human-caused greenhouse gas emissions is virtually indispensable for leaving future generations a livable planet. The European Union aims to achieve this goal through greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050.

Many tactics are already enshrined in EU law; the diversity of regulations is enormous due to the relevance of climate change to all areas of life and the economy, and is hardly manageable for a single person.

A key lever for achieving global climate goals is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the construction sector. Buildings are now assessed according to sustainability criteria, whether for new construction or renovation/refurbishment. Building materials and products make a significant contribution to achieving the European sustainability goals. An important communication tool in this context is the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). This blog provides a concise overview of the EPD format, for which there is a dedicated EU standard, EN 15804, specifically for the construction sector.

Many companies will be subject to EPD requirements – recognizing opportunities is essential

As the name suggests, these declarations refer to individual products or product groups. They are based on life cycle assessments (LCAs), including production and recycling processes, which are collected to illustrate the various environmental impacts (such as the carbon footprint) across the relevant life cycle stages of the analyzed product. The declaration also includes information about the company and the analyzed product, as well as LCA-specific, method-relevant information. While EPDs were originally published exclusively in PDF format, their added value today lies in the generation of digital datasets that are published via various databases.

This doesn't happen "in a vacuum"; rather, the creation, content, and handling of EPDs are based on Product Category Rules (PCRs). Within Europe, EN 15804 serves as the core PCR for the construction sector. EPD program organizations such as the Institute for Building and Environment (IBU) and EPD International (Environdec) adapt these rules to the specific product types. Harmonization between European program organizations is facilitated as far as possible through the ECO-Platform. A critical review by an independent verifier ensures compliance with the PCRs. Only EPDs that comply with the standards and PCRs are published through an EPD program organization.

You are probably wondering how more bureaucracy, regulations, and EPDs actually protect the climate. Let me explain two approaches using examples.

Since construction activities are among the largest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs), buildings designed and constructed as "green buildings" can be subsidized with EU funds, depending on the member state and intended use. In many cases, providing environmental and economic performance documentation, particularly based on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), is already mandatory at the building level. While not every new building qualifies as a green building or a sustainable structure under these regulations, their share is steadily increasing. This is a market segment that should not be overlooked! The transparency of tenders ensures that building materials and products with the lowest environmental impact are given preference.

The second approach I describe as the "internal" approach. If information and data about the product, its life cycle, and its disposal are available and known, analyzing them often reveals various opportunities for improvement. Examples include savings in energy and raw material use, as well as increases in the efficiency and effectiveness of the products during the usage phase. This not only saves money and increases profitability, but also enhances sustainability almost as a side effect.

ECOSY is happy to assist you in finding your individual solution for EPD creation, because with the staggered implementation of the new Construction Products Regulation (CPR), from 2026 onwards, the declaration of the environmental impacts of all construction products with European market access that are subject to CE marking will become mandatory. The EPD format is accepted as proof for this declaration.

As of February 2026