An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardised document that states a building product’s environmental impact throughout its lifecycle — from raw material extraction to end of life. It’s the building industry’s equivalent of a nutritional label on food: comparable, verifiable and independently verified.
Why does it matter to you?
When choosing building materials for a renovation or new build, EPDs let you compare the actual environmental impact of different products — concrete vs. timber, mineral wool vs. cellulose insulation, standard brick vs. reclaimed brick.
Danish building regulations (BR18) require that LCA calculations for new buildings use EPD-documented data. Without EPDs, you can’t prove your building meets the CO₂ limit.
What an EPD contains
An EPD covers several lifecycle modules (A1–D in the EN 15804 standard):
- A1–A3: Raw material extraction, transport, and manufacturing
- A4–A5: Transport to site and construction
- B1–B7: In-use phase (maintenance, replacement, energy)
- C1–C4: Demolition, transport, waste processing
- D: Beyond system boundary (recycling potential)
The most important figure for Danish building regulations is the GWP value (Global Warming Potential) in kg CO₂-equivalents.
Where to find EPDs
EPDs are published by manufacturers and available in open databases:
- ECO Platform (eco-platform.org) — European database
- OEKOBAUDAT (oekobaudat.de) — German, widely used in Denmark
- EPD Norge, IBU EPD — Scandinavian and German registries
Frequently asked questions
Are all EPDs comparable?
EPDs follow the EN 15804 standard but can differ in scope and assumptions. Always compare EPDs covering the same lifecycle modules.
Does every building product have an EPD?
No. EPDs are voluntary in most countries. However, market pressure and building regulations are pushing more manufacturers to produce them.
What’s the difference between an EPD and a CE marking?
A CE marking certifies that a product meets minimum safety and performance standards. An EPD is environmental documentation — the two are independent.