Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are becoming more widely available for electrical products in the United States. Understanding how EPDs are developed and why they’re important helps stakeholders in the electrical industry utilize them strategically.
What are Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)?
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a third-party verified report that discloses a product's impact on the environment over the course of its life cycle. EPDs are based on data from a holistic life cycle assessment (LCA), which measures greenhouse gas and other emissions, resource use, waste generation and other impacts from the product. Top uses for EPDs in the construction industry include achieving building certifications, measuring and benchmarking carbon emissions, and meeting regulations.
The environmental impacts of construction projects are becoming increasingly important to various constituents, which is why EPDs are growing in popularity. EPDs clarify the environmental impact of the products being used, which in turn become part of a project’s overall environmental impact calculation.
Development and verification process
EPDs are verified in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which oversees the creation of standards for EPDs. The most widely recognized standard is ISO 14025, Environmental labels and declarations—Type III environmental declarations—principles and procedures.
The EPD development and verification process includes these steps:
- Selecting a PCR (product category rule), which places the product in a category with other products that can fulfill equivalent functions. This is an important step because it clarifies what information should be gathered about the product and how the data should be evaluated in accordance with international standards (ISO 14025, ISO 14044).
- Conducting an LCA (life cycle assessment) of the product, which is the process of data collection. A “cradle to grave” assessment considers all aspects of product manufacturing, distribution and utilization, including the resources needed for material sourcing all the way to disposal methods. A “cradle to gate” assessment collects data only from material sourcing through the manufacturing process. The LCA collects primary data, which is directly measured, as well as secondary and background data from life cycle inventories (LCIs).
- Creating and verifying the EPD document. This involves compiling the LCA data in a report that meets the requirements of ISO 14025 and then working with an accredited independent, third-party certification body to verify the document.
EPDs in conformance with ISO 14025 will state the standard and reference product category rules (PCR) that have been developed according to the standard. ISO 14025 also requires that EPDs identify the third-party verifier in the document. An EPD’s validity lasts for five years, and the final validity date is stated in the document. If an EPD conforms to ISO standard 14025, it is valid internationally.
Once an EPD is verified, the manufacturer registers and publishes it. Generally, EPDs can be accessed on the product manufacturers’ websites. Many are also available on the EPD verifiers’ platform, such as Smart EPD or Environdec.
What are the benefits of sourcing products with EPDs?
Products with EPDs offer multiple benefits to stakeholders in the electrical industry. Here are the top three reasons why companies seek out products with EPDs.*
- EPDs empower organizations to lower the environmental impact of their projects.
In fact, EPDs are a fundamental tool for understanding the environmental impact of construction projects. Architects, engineers and designers can compare EPDs and select products that have a lower carbon footprint to make projects more sustainable.
It’s important to understand that an EPD does NOT in itself indicate that a product is more environmentally friendly than other products. Instead, an EPD is a declaration of the product’s environmental impact so that consumers can make educated, data-driven choices about the products they source. An EPD helps consumers to choose products with less environmental impact, if that is their priority.
- EPDs count for points toward sustainable building accreditations.
In many cases, EPDs help projects meet requirements for specific building schemes, including LEED. Controlled by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is a voluntary certification program utilizing a scorecard that allocates points across multiple categories for building and construction. The Materials and Resources category allocates potential points for “Building Product Disclosure and Optimization” via EPDs.
In the U.S., EPDs are currently used most frequently to achieve voluntary green building certifications, not to meet regulatory requirements. However, there are some exceptions, such as the Buy Clean California Act, which requires the submittal of EPDs with successful bids. EPDs may be required more frequently in the U.S. over the coming years. For example, thirteen states and multiple municipalities have adopted the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), which provides code language for sustainable building practices.
In Europe, EPDs are more widely required; in fact, a majority of European green building regulations utilize EPDs. Climate impact reduction initiatives such as the European Union’s Green Deal and Fit for 55 have created higher demand for EPDs there.
- EPDs are an essential tool for measuring and benchmarking Scope 3 emissions.
Scope 3 emissions, also called value chain emissions, contribute to an organization’s overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but originate from assets they don’t control or own. EPDs enable organizations to calculate some Scope 3 embodied carbon emissions and comply with GHG Protocol standards.
In 2024, recognizing the demand for EPDs and reinforcing a long-standing commitment to sustainability, Atkore released EPDs for its Galvanized, Stainless Steel, and PVC Conduit and Fittings lines, as well as Steel, Aluminum and Fiberglass Framing and Cable Management products. Atkore’s EPDs conform to ISO standards 14025,14040, 14044, 14071, 21930 and BS EN 15804. They can be downloaded from the EPD library on atkore.com.
*Steps are adapted from the EPA document, EPD Basics: A Manufacturer’s Guide to How and Why to Develop an Environmental Product Declaration (Dec. 2024)
