Getting started
Process for EPD Development
EPD Development in 5 Steps
Developing an EPD in the International EPD System (IES) includes the following main steps:
select a product category rule (PCR)
conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) study
compile information in the EPD reporting format
conduct EPD verification
register and publish the EPD
A unique registration number (EPD-IES-XXXXXXX:XXX) is issued as a reference identifier for the EPD upon publication. An EPD must only be developed for products already on the market or intended to be on the market.
The development and maintenance of EPDs are carried out in the EPD Portal. To publish an EPD, you must first register in the EPD Portal as a user. After connecting your user account to a new organisation or an existing one, you are then able to register the EPD in the EPD Portal, with support from an LCA practitioner if needed.
Step 1: Select PCR
Selecting a suitable Product Category Rule (PCR) and complementary PCR (c-PCR), when relevant, is the first step to develop an EPD.
Product Category Rules (PCRs) are the foundation of every Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). They define the products or services covered by the EPD and establish the methodology for calculating and reporting environmental performance data. Choosing the right PCR is therefore the essential first step in developing a credible and comparable EPD.
The PCR used for an EPD must be listed in the PCR Library of the International EPD System and be valid at the time of verification. Where an applicable c-PCR exists, it must be used together with its corresponding main PCR. If you are unsure which PCR applies to your product, the Secretariat can provide expert guidance to help you identify the right option.
If no suitable PCR exists for your product category, a new PCR can be developed through the PCR Development Process, subject to approval by the Secretariat. In cases where multiple PCRs are applicable, you as an EPD owner have the flexibility to choose the most appropriate one, although selecting the PCR with the most specific scope and closest alignment to the product’s function is recommended to maximise relevance and comparability.
→ Identify an applicable PCR for your product in the PCR Library
Step 2: Conduct LCA Study
The life cycle assessment must be conducted in accordance with a suitable PCR (and a c-PCR when relevant).
The environmental performance reported in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which evaluates a product’s environmental impacts throughout its entire life cycle.
To ensure credibility, consistency, and comparability, the LCA study must comply with:
internationally recognised LCA principles, frameworks, methodologies, and practices as defined in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044
the requirements for Environmental Product Declarations set out in ISO 14025, including the data collection methods, assumptions, and reporting principles described in Annex A of the General Programme Instructions (GPI)
the applicable PCR, and c-PCR where relevant, for the specific product category
The LCA can be carried out internally by your organisation or with the support of an experienced LCA consultant specialising in environmental declarations.
To help you get started, an open list of qualified LCA consultants is available through LCA Consultants webpage:
→ Identify an LCA consultant to support your EPD development
Step 3: Compile EPD data
Compile the results of the LCA study and additionally information into an EPD.
Once the LCA has been completed, the results and all additional required information must be compiled into the official EPD reporting format. The International EPD System offers two options for registering an EPD:
Standard EPD Format
Available for all product categories, the Standard EPD Format follows the traditional EPD development process. The EPD is prepared as a PDF document and registered together with supporting metadata through the EPD Portal. Templates and guidance on the required content are available through the EPD Development Templates and the EPD Portal.
→ Access EPD development templates
EPD Compiler Format
Available for most construction products, the EPD Compiler is a fully digital solution that simplifies the registration process. Instead of developing and managing separate files and PDF documents, organisations can enter information directly into the EPD Portal interface throughout the development process.
→ Compile LCA results in the EPD Portal
EPD content requirements
Regardless of the reporting format used, EPD content must:
comply with the principles and requirements of ISO 14020 for environmental statements and programmes
be verifiable, accurate, relevant, and not misleading
avoid ratings, value judgements, or direct comparisons with other products
for construction products covered by EN 15804, follow the communication requirements defined in EN 15942 for business-to-business environmental product declarations
By following these requirements, EPDs provide transparent, credible, and comparable environmental information that supports informed purchasing and sustainability decisions across value chains.
Step 4: Verify EPD
Verification must be conducted by: 1) a third-party verifier, either an approved individual verifier or an accredited certification body; 2) through process certification, or 3) through pre-verified tools.
Before publication, every EPD must undergo verification to ensure that the information presented is accurate, transparent, and compliant with programme requirements.
EPD verification assesses the LCA data, including life cycle inventory information and modelling assumptions, as well as any additional environmental, social, and economic information included in the declaration.
Within the International EPD System, EPD verification can be conducted through one of three approved routes:
Third-party Verification
Third-party verification is the most common approach and can be performed by either an approved individual verifier or an accredited certification body listed in the International EPD System. Verifiers must have relevant expertise in the product category, industry sector, applicable standards, and geographical market covered by the EPD.→ Identify an approved individual verifier or accredited certification body for your EPD verification
EPD Process Certification
EPD process certification is designed for organisations that develop and manage EPDs at scale. Under this approach, you as the EPD owner manage data collection, LCA development, and EPD generation internally, without requiring third-party verification for each individual declaration.To maintain this status, the organisation's processes must be regularly assessed and certified by an accredited certification body.
→ Identify an accredited certification body for EPD process certification
Pre-verified Tools
The International EPD System also supports the use of pre-verified tools. These tools simplify the verification process by reducing the scope of individual EPD verification or replacing it with an annual EPD verification procedure.While any tool can be used to develop an EPD, only tools that have successfully completed tool verification by an approved tool verifier are recognised as pre-verified tools within the programme.
→ Identify an approved tool verifier for your pre-verified tool verification
Step 5: Publish EPD
An EPD must be registered in the EPD Portal and published in EPD Library.
Once the EPD has been finalised by the EPD owner and following approval by the verifier in the EPD Portal, the EPD owner requests for registration of the EPD. Upon the completion of all steps and the publication of the EPD in the EPD Library, the EPD Owner is deemed to have accepted the Terms and Conditions of the IES. Accordingly, all applicable registration fees will apply. The Secretariat subsequently publishes the EPD in the EPD Library once having confirmed that all requirements are met.
EPDs are published in the EPD Library by the Secretariat after the EPD owner has provided all the necessary information and data, and signed the service agreement. The EPD owner must complete these steps so that the publication can be done within 90 days of the version date of the EPD. After publication, EPDs will be publicly available in the EPD Library.
A published EPD may be corrected and amended as needed. An EPD will remain published for as long as the associated fees are paid by the EPD owner or until deregistered by the EPD owner or the Secretariat. An expired EPD must be updated within a year in order to regain validity.
