Do I need EPDs if I'm not doing a WLCA?

Useful even without formal WLCA — enables informed product selection by carbon impact. EPD-backed specification is best-practice + future-proofs against regulation tightening.

Are EPDs free to access?

Yes — public domain databases (BRE, IBU, EPD Norge) free. Manufacturer EPDs on websites free. No subscription cost for clients to look up product data.

How accurate are EPDs?

Within ±10% typical. Third-party verification + standard methodology (EN 15804) ensures comparability across products. More accurate than generic database (ICE) by 20–40%.

EPD Environmental Product Declaration London 2026 | Builderr

What Is an EPD and Why Specify EPD-Backed Products in London?

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is third-party verified document detailing a product's environmental impact (embodied carbon, water, ozone, acidification) per BS EN 15804. Manufacturer-specific. Enables accurate Whole-Life Carbon Assessment + low-carbon product selection. Available BRE GreenBookLive, IBU (Germany), EPD Norge, EPD International. Specify EPD-backed products at tender for verified low-carbon.

EPD definition + standards

Environmental Product Declaration: ISO 14025 Type III environmental label. Standardised report on product environmental impact across lifecycle. Construction products: BS EN 15804 'Sustainability of construction works' product category rules. Calculation by LCA practitioner; third-party verified (BRE Certification, IBU, Bureau Veritas); registered with EPD programme (BRE GreenBookLive UK, IBU Germany, EPD Norge, EPD International, EPD Italy). Validity 5 years; manufacturer must update on formula change. Format: standard tables for declared unit (e.g. 1 m² of insulation at given thickness) showing GWP (kgCO2e), ozone depletion, acidification, eutrophication, fossil fuel depletion, water use, etc., per lifecycle module A1–C4.

Use in renovation specification

Specifying EPD-backed products at tender: (1) request EPDs in tender documents for all major-quantity materials (insulation, concrete, steel, brick, glazing, plasterboard); (2) compare GWP figures product-to-product (e.g. Kingspan K7 vs Steico Flex wood-fibre at same U-value); (3) award based on cost + carbon balance; (4) retain EPDs in golden thread file for as-built WLCA verification. Manufacturer-specific EPDs typically show 20–40% variation from generic database values (e.g. ICE) — same product category different brand can be 2× carbon difference. Specifying EPD-backed + low-carbon brand can cut total embodied carbon 15–25% on typical extension at minimal cost premium.

Sources + practical access

BRE GreenBookLive (UK) greenbooklive.com — searchable database. IBU (Germany) ibu-epd.com — extensive European product library. EPD Norge epd-norge.no. EPD International environdec.com. Manufacturer websites: most UK building product manufacturers now publish EPDs on product pages (Kingspan, Velux, Marshalls, Hanson, Tarmac, Knauf, Saint-Gobain, Velfac). Trade body resources: Concrete Centre + Steel Construction Institute publish sector-average EPDs as baselines. Free database for designers: ICE Database (University of Bath) — generic average carbon factors when product-specific EPD unavailable. Builderr quote process: list of major products + their EPD links provided to client at design stage for transparency + WLCA support.