Environmental Product Declaration (EPD): what it is and why it decides tenders

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a document verified by an independent third party that communicates the environmental impact of a product across its life cycle, based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It is what ISO 14025 calls a Type III environmental label: it is not based on slogans or self-declarations, but on quantified, comparable data.

The purchasing departments of construction firms, hotel chains, and retailers increasingly demand numerical proof of sustainability. In that context, the EPD (in Spanish, DAP) has become one of the reference tools for demonstrating the environmental performance of a material or component and differentiating it from the competition.

In this article you will see what an Environmental Product Declaration is, how it is built and registered, what it costs, and what role it plays in a public tender.

What is the Environmental Product Declaration?

The Environmental Product Declaration is a Type III environmental label under ISO 14025. Its distinguishing feature is that it does not communicate a judgement (“green”, “eco-friendly”) but measurable, verified data presented in a standardised way, so that two products can be compared using the same functional unit.

Every EPD includes the description of the product, its category, and the functional unit used in the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): for example, one cubic metre of concrete, one aluminium window, or one square metre of tile.

For the results to be comparable, the calculation is governed by specific product category rules (PCR) for each product family. In the construction sector, the reference standard is EN 15804, which harmonises these rules for construction products in Europe.

The declaration sets out the life cycle modules (from A1 to D) with their environmental indicators: kilograms of CO₂ equivalent, primary energy, acidification, eutrophication, resource depletion, or water consumption, among others. Each figure is accompanied by the data source, the assumptions, and the validity period, and the independent verification guarantees transparency and comparability.

What are its main competitive advantages?

Having an EPD registered with a recognised programme, such as Global EPD (AENOR), The International EPD System, or EPD construction, offers tangible advantages:

• It opens the door to green public procurement. More and more Spanish public sector tender documents incorporate environmental criteria in the award, and having an EPD makes it possible to accredit them and gain technical score.
• It facilitates credits in sustainable construction certifications. In LEED v4, for example, having product EPDs contributes to the “Building product disclosure and optimization – Environmental Product Declarations” credit. It also counts towards BREEAM.
• It strengthens reputation. A product with an EPD conveys an environmental commitment backed by data, something increasingly valued by corporate clients and investors.

How is an EPD built and registered?

The process starts with the definition of the functional unit and the scope of the LCA, following the applicable PCR (in construction, EN 15804). At this stage, primary production data are gathered and complemented with secondary information from recognised inventory databases.

After calculating the indicators and drafting the project report, an accredited verifier reviews the study in accordance with ISO 14025 (the programme verification may rely on accreditation schemes such as ISO/IEC 17065 for certification bodies).

Once the verification is passed, the EPD is registered with the chosen programme and published with its reference number, usually with a QR code that the client can scan to download it.

Costs and available support

The cost of building and verifying an EPD varies greatly depending on the complexity of the product, the quality of the available data, and whether a prior LCA already exists. It is advisable to request quotes from several verifiers and, where possible, to group products of the same family under the same PCR to spread the cost.

In Catalonia, part of that cost can be covered by the ACCIÓ vouchers, which subsidise advanced innovation and sustainability services for SMEs. The conditions and percentages are reviewed in each call, so it is advisable to consult the current terms.

How does the EPD relate to the product carbon footprint?

The product carbon footprint (PCF) is one of the indicators included in the EPD, but not the only one. The great advantage of the declaration is its multi-criteria approach: in addition to CO₂ equivalent, it covers water consumption, resource depletion, eutrophication, and the benefits and loads beyond the life cycle (module D).

That is why, if you only communicate the carbon footprint, you fall short against tenders or certifications that ask for the complete picture. If you want to go deeper into how that indicator is calculated, we recommend our guide on what the product carbon footprint is and how it is measured.

EPD and the Digital Product Passport: where regulation is heading

The structured information contained in an EPD fits directly with the direction European regulation is taking. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, Regulation (EU) 2024/1781) introduces the Digital Product Passport, which will require environmental data to be made available per product in a digital and verifiable way. Companies that already work with LCA and EPDs start with an advantage in meeting those future requirements.

Environmental Product Declaration (EPD): a key to accessing sustainable projects

The Environmental Product Declaration is, at the same time, a technical marketing tool and a key to accessing projects where sustainability decides the award. If you integrate your LCA into a verified EPD, you obtain a measurable competitive advantage and a credible story for your brand.

To better understand all the preparatory work, our resources on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and on how to choose the system boundaries of your LCA are available to you. If you want to calculate the basis on which any EPD is built, discover how Manglai automates the product footprint.

Frequently asked questions about the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

Does the Environmental Product Declaration expire?

Yes. EPDs have a limited validity period, usually five years, and must be reviewed sooner if the formulation or the production process changes.

Can I limit the study to the production stage?

It is possible to declare only the product stages (modules A1-A3, “cradle to gate”), but a more complete scope adds more value in certifications such as LEED and in tenders that value the whole life cycle.

What about confidential data?

The results are published in aggregated form, so sensitive process information is kept protected through the confidentiality agreement with the verifier.