About EPDs
An EPD — also known as a Type III environmental declaration in ISO terminology — is a concise, readable, third-party verified document. It includes the reported outputs of a quantitative technique called life cycle assessment (LCA) in addition to other environmental information.
EPD Australasia was established in 2014 as a trans-Tasman EPD programme operator. The programme is affiliated with The International EPD® System, one of the largest and oldest EPD scheme providers globally.
You can read more in a BRANZ bulletin on the topic, BU603 Environmental product declarations.
Benefits
EPDs provide a robust, science-based communication method for demonstrating the environmental credentials of products and services. While they are primarily aimed at business-to-business communication, EPDs can also be useful for business-to-consumer communication.
EPDs are increasingly gaining global recognition in building environmental rating schemes, including Green Star in New Zealand.
Standards compliance
EPDs must comply with the principles and procedures for EPD development set out in ISO 14025:2006 Environmental labels and declarations - Type III environmental declarations - Principles and procedures.
For construction products (which includes services), specific rules are set out in product category rules of EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 Sustainability of construction works - Environmental product declarations - Core rules for the product category of construction products.
EPD registration
Construction product EPDs can be registered with EPD Australasia for a 5-year period. Regular reviews during this time are necessary to ensure that reported environmental indicators in the EPD remain valid and representative of the product being supplied.
If the reported environmental indicators change significantly during this period - for example, due to changes in manufacturing location or suppliers - the EPD must be updated. This is to ensure it remains representative during the period of EPD registration.
View the EPD Australasia database.
Enquire about EPDs
For more information about EPDs, you are welcome to:
Updated: 25 March 2024