Cradle to gate

A life cycle assessment boundary covering the full life of a product, from raw material extraction through manufacture, distribution and use to final disposal. It contrasts with cradle to gate, which stops at the factory, and with cradle to cradle approaches in which materials are recovered into new products instead of being disposed of.

A standardised method, set out in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, for quantifying the environmental impacts of a product or system across its life, from raw material extraction through manufacture and use to end-of-life. LCA results underpin environmental product declarations and embodied carbon calculations used in material selection.

An independently verified document that reports the environmental impacts of a product, based on a life cycle assessment carried out to agreed product category rules. For construction products, EPDs are typically produced to EN 15804, giving specifiers comparable data on embodied carbon and other impact categories.

The greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing a material or product, covering raw material extraction, processing, manufacture and transport, and in whole-building assessments also construction, maintenance and end-of-life stages. It is expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent and is commonly reported through environmental product declarations.