10 Lessons from a Decade of EPDs: How Building Products Taught Us What Every Industry Needs to Know 

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have come a long way. Once the quiet, technical cousin of sustainability reporting, they’ve evolved into the backbone of business.  

Globally, more than 100,000 EPDs now chart the material world. And no sector has embraced them quite like construction. Thousands of verified declarations, hundreds of projects demanding them, billions of dollars awarded on their basis.  

After a decade since we helped establish the Australasian EPD programme, and worked alongside a myriad of companies, we've learned what drives value and how to harness the real power of EPDs. 

1. Start early and plan comprehensively 

The single biggest mistake we see is underestimating timelines. EPDs require substantial investment in both time and resources. Too often, companies find themselves needing an EPD for a tender submission or project ratings such as Green Star with insufficient time to properly develop one. 

Key planning considerations: 

• Allow 5-8 months for your first EPD (subsequent ones can be faster) 
• Verification alone can take 4-6 weeks with a rigorous review process 
• Line up your verifier early, there are only 15 approved verifiers by EPD Australasia 
• Treat data collection as a sprint, not a background task 
• Get a comprehensive Request for Information upfront to avoid multiple rounds of data gathering 

Tip: Start your EPD journey when you're planning, not when you're desperate. The companies that succeed have EPDs ready before they need them.

2. Treat EPDs as strategic business tools, not compliance documents 

EPDs have become the key to product transparency and are increasingly required for major projects. They're incentivised in rating tools like Green Star and the IS Rating Tool. But their real power lies in competitive differentiation. 

Strategic opportunities: 

• Use EPDs as the foundation for new product lines and brands 
• Integrate them into your sales and marketing strategy from day one 
• Train your entire commercial team, not just sustainability experts 
• Make EPDs your one-stop-shop product transparency document, including all certifications and credentials 

3. Understand global standards, but play the local game  

EPDs follow global rules ISO 14025 and the EN 15804 standard for construction products. This brings both benefits and challenges for the Australian market. 

The upside: We can leverage international tools, databases, and support infrastructure. The ECO Platform provides access to over 27,000 EPDs globally, with APIs enabling automation and integration. 

The challenge: We're subject to changes driven by other markets, particularly the European Green Deal and the upcoming Digital Product Passport requirements. Recent updates to international standards and EPD Australasia's General Programme Instructions reflect these global shifts. 

4. Choose the right EPD approach for your business model 

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to EPD development. Your strategy should align with your product portfolio and business model. 

Available approaches: 

• Individual EPDs: Best for hero products or when you have limited SKUs 
• Process EPDs: Ideal for companies launching new products regularly, particularly popular with concrete manufacturers where each project requires a specific mix (essentially allowing you to generate EPDs on demand) 
• Industry tools: Highly effective as they're tailored for specific product categories or sectors, like the GCCA tool for concrete, providing consistency and efficiency, but sometimes lacking regional specificity 
• Group or average EPDs: Suitable for similar product families 

Consider your product complexity, update frequency, customer requirements, and internal capabilities. Companies with dynamic product portfolios (like concrete suppliers with project specific mixes) need process EPDs or industry tools, while those with stable product lines may prefer individual EPDs.

5. Mine EPDs for insights, the data will surprise you 

Many companies discover unexpected insights through the LCA process underlying their EPDs. Some find their standard products, optimised over decades for durability and cost, show significant environmental advantages. Others identify improvement opportunities they hadn't considered. 

Beyond carbon, EPDs provide comprehensive environmental data across three key areas: 

• Environmental impacts: Global warming potential, water use, resource depletion, ozone depletion, acidification, eutrophication, and urban smog or photochemical ozone creation 
• Resource use indicators: Renewable and non-renewable fossil energy, material resources, water use 
• Waste and output flows: Hazardous and non-hazardous waste, radioactive waste, components for reuse, materials for recycling and energy recovery 

Use these findings to inform product development and innovation strategies. Benchmark against competitors to identify strengths and gaps. 

6. Master the art of comparison 

EPDs are built to be comparable, but comparison doesn't happen automatically. You need to actively facilitate it. 

With thousands more EPDs now available, their utility multiplies. Each new EPD: 

• Provides better benchmarking opportunities for your products 
• Can serve as a data source for other LCAs and EPDs 
• Offers templates and methodological precedents for your next EPD 
• Strengthens the basis for meaningful comparison by users 

How to effectively compare EPDs: 

• Ensure your EPD follows EN 15804 for construction products for true comparability 
• Create comparison documents showing your performance versus alternatives delivering the same functionality 
• Train your sales team to use comparisons effectively, and give them the insights to talk about 
• Remember that EPDs demonstrate transparency, not environmental superiority. You need to carefully make the case for why your numbers are better, ensuring all claims are substantiated and protect against greenwashing 

7. Build internal champions across functions 

Successful EPD implementation requires cross-functional engagement. The most successful companies make EPDs part of their organisational DNA. 

Key stakeholders to engage and train: 

• Operations/Engineering: They hold the data and understand processes 
• Marketing: They'll translate technical data into market messages 
• Sales: They need to use EPDs confidently in customer conversations 
• Legal: They'll ensure claims are defensible 
• Senior Leadership: Their buy-in drives organisational commitment 

8. Plan for renewal from day one 

EPDs are typically valid for 3-5 years, but your environmental performance changes continuously. Smart companies plan for the full lifecycle from the start. 

Renewal planning: 

• Track whether your EPD remains representative year-on-year 
• Document any sourcing or operational changes that affect results 
• Budget for renewal costs in advance 
• Use renewal as an opportunity to demonstrate improvement 
• Consider developing internal capabilities for updates versus always outsourcing 

Tip: The second EPD is always easier than the first. Maintain your LCA models and data collection systems between EPDs to streamline renewal. Set up for monitoring changes in raw material sourcing and the transition to renewable energy in manufacturing and renewable energy-based transport. If your impacts change, update your EPD accordingly. 

9. Invest in launch and ongoing activation 

Creating an EPD is just the beginning. The return on investment comes from how you use it. 

Launch strategy: 

• Design EPDs that reflect your brand (they're marketing documents too) 
• Plan internal and external launch campaigns 
• Create supporting materials for different audiences 
• Integrate EPDs into tender responses, technical specifications, and marketing collateral 
• Regularly communicate improvements and updates 

Tip: EPDs are increasingly consumed through third-party tools and database providers – specification platforms, BIM libraries, product databases, and comparison tools. This multiplies your EPD's reach, use, and application far beyond direct distribution. Ensure your EPDs are discoverable and properly integrated into these platforms where your customers search for product information. 

10. Accept that transparency is not optional 

Product transparency has shifted from differentiator to expectation. EPDs and embodied carbon data are becoming highly accessible through regional and global digital platforms. Comparison is getting easier, automation is accelerating, and leaders are integrating this into every aspect of their business. 

EPDs are the gold standard for product environmental disclosure, but you don't have to start there. As we've outlined in our guide on accelerating carbon footprint disclosure, there are stepping stones: 

• Start with carbon footprint calculations for key products 
• Move to streamlined LCAs for internal insights 
• Progress to verified EPDs when ready for market differentiation 
• Use product-specific data to complement corporate carbon footprints, communicate impact intensities, and provide granular insights for decarbonisation strategies 

Future-proofing considerations: 

• EPDs enable detailed decarbonisation tracking and reporting 
• Product-specific data enhances corporate sustainability narratives 
• Digital Product Passports are coming, EPDs will be central 
• Customers increasingly filter suppliers based on EPD availability 
• Regulation is moving toward mandatory disclosure in many markets 

Tip: Don't wait for mandatory requirements. Companies that move early shape the market, while laggards play catch-up. Use transparency as a catalyst for improvement, not just compliance.

Use EPDs to win, not just comply  

The companies extracting maximum value from EPDs share common characteristics: they start early, think strategically, engage cross-functionally, and view transparency as an opportunity rather than an obligation. They use EPDs not just to meet today's requirements but to prepare for tomorrow's market realities. 

As the building industry accelerates toward net zero, EPDs will only become more central to business success. The question isn't whether you need EPDs, it's whether you'll use them defensively or offensively. The lessons from the first decade are clear: those who embrace transparency strategically will lead the market. 

About the Authors: 

Jonas Bengtsson is a Certified LCA practitioner, approved EPD Verifier, Registered Climate Active Consultant, Vice-chair of EPD Australasia's Technical Advisory Group, inaugural Green Star Champion, past ALCAS President and UNEP Life Cycle Initiative Steering Committee Member. 

Sazal Kundu PhD is an EPD Verifier and experienced LCA practitioner. 

Together, they have worked on over 50 EPD projects and verifications, supporting companies across the building products sector to develop EPDs that deliver both compliance and competitive advantage.