Environmental product declarationEPD

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.

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.

A measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a set time period relative to carbon dioxide, allowing emissions of different gases to be expressed as a single carbon dioxide equivalent figure. GWP is the headline indicator in most environmental product declarations and carbon footprint studies.

A life cycle assessment boundary covering raw material extraction through to the point where the product leaves the factory gate, excluding transport to site, installation, use and end-of-life. In construction EPDs to EN 15804 this corresponds to the product stage, modules A1 to A3.

Managing the procurement of materials so that supply chains meet defined environmental, social and ethical standards. In UK construction it is commonly demonstrated through certification to BES 6001 for construction products, or through chain of custody schemes such as FSC and PEFC for timber.