From Analysis to Declaration: The LCA-EPD Link Explained
Confusion surrounding the relationship between Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) has grown and resulted in the need for clarification. This article examines that relationship and how EPDs can benefit the environmental credentials of your product.
LCAs and EPDs explained
An LCA can be created for a product, process or service throughout its entire life cycle whereas an EPD is a document detailing a product level life cycle assessment, standardising the quantification of a product’s environmental impacts. Both are interlinked because an LCA forms the foundation of an EPD, meaning that an EPD cannot be created without the creation of an LCA first.
In summary, an LCA forms the foundation of an EPD, providing the detailed data, system boundaries, and analysis that is then used to create an EPD, which is a shorter, simpler, and verified document created for communication purposes using the standardised format
Why create EPDs?
The built environment has seen recent growth in the number of published EPDs which underlines the demand for assessments of construction materials and their environmental impact.
EPDs are improving the accuracy of comparison between the environmental impacts of similar materials which is encouraging environmental transparency through providing clear sustainable options across the supply chain, subsequently engaging organisations with sustainable construction practices.
Benefits of EPDs
Businesses can benefit from creating and using EPDs for a number of reasons.
Including:
Competitive advantage and market differentiation.
Increased likelihood of your product being specified by architects, developers, and contractors.
Understand the performance of your product’s supply chain.
Data-led improvements
Support compliance with regulations and market demands
Improve brand perception
How do you create EPDs?
Creating an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) involves a structured process to ensure transparency and reliability.
This process helps provide clear and credible information about the environmental impact of products, aiding consumers and businesses in making informed choices.
The infographic below, from EcoChain, neatly breaks down the steps taken to create and EPD.
How can Mainer help you with this process?
Creating an EPD is a long and complex process. Mainer offers to create your EPD through One Click LCA EPD Generator software to efficiently perform a life cycle assessment on your product without compromising on quality.
One Click provide a visual of the benefits of using their software for EPD creation which emphasises the efficiency of this route.
Mainer use One Click LCA Pre-verified EPD Generator software to create your EPD and uses EPD HUB for 3rd Party verification. Without this step, your EPD will not be recognised by many certification schemes, regulations and procurement requirements.
What will Mainer do for you?
We will:
1. Collect your data
2. Conduct an LCA
3. Prepare a background report for your EPD
4. Ensure your EPD is independently verified by a 3rd Party in accordance with EN 15804+A2 & ISO 14025 / ISO 21930
5. Submit your EPD document for publication into the public domain.
The Future of EPDs
Currently, EPDs are not compulsory. However, environmental standards (ISO 14025) and regulations have grown in recent years and some regions have already made it compulsory to disclose climate risks and impacts. Swedish regulations for climate disclosure became compulsory in 2022 which has significantly increased the demand for LCAs. As LCAs form the foundation of EPDs, it can be assumed that demand for EPDs will increase as well.
Therefore, EPDs hold valuable power in supporting disclosure when compliance inevitably becomes compulsory in more regions. Starting your EPD journey today means you can become an industry leader by taking responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment through being transparent with your product’s impact.
Next Steps
If an EPD is what you require, you can start your EPD journey with Mainer to create transparency in your product’s sustainability and ensure you stay in line with market demand. EPDs are a necessity in the built environment to ensure sustainable choices are being made across the supply chain to decarbonise the sector.
To learn more, please contact our team at hello@mainer.co.uk
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