What Are Environmental Product Declarations?
An Environmental Product Declaration is a standardized document reporting the environmental impacts of a product based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. EPDs follow international standards—primarily ISO 14025 and ISO 21930 for construction products—ensuring consistent methodology and comparable results across products and manufacturers.
The Foundation: Life Cycle Assessment
Every EPD is built on a Life Cycle Assessment, which quantifies environmental impacts from raw material extraction through manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life disposal or recycling. This "cradle-to-grave" or "cradle-to-gate" approach captures impacts that might be invisible when looking only at the finished product.
Product Category Rules (PCRs)
To ensure EPDs for similar products are comparable, products are assessed according to Product Category Rules—detailed guidelines specifying how LCAs should be conducted for specific product types. For flooring, PCRs define:
- Functional unit (typically 1 square meter or square foot of installed flooring)
- System boundaries (which lifecycle stages are included)
- Data requirements and quality criteria
- Calculation methods for impact categories
Third-Party Verification
EPDs must be verified by independent third parties before publication. This verification confirms that the LCA methodology follows applicable standards and PCRs, the data sources are appropriate, and calculations are correct. Verification provides confidence that EPD results are reliable and accurate.
EPD Program Operators
Organizations that administer EPD programs include UL Environment, NSF International, SCS Global Services, and ICC-ES in North America, plus international programs like EPD International. All operate under ISO 14025 requirements, making EPDs from different programs generally comparable when based on the same PCR.
How to Read an EPD
EPDs contain substantial technical data that can be overwhelming at first glance. Understanding the key sections helps extract useful information for product comparison and specification decisions.
Product Information
The opening section identifies the product, manufacturer, and scope. Key details include:
- Declared product: Specific product or product family covered
- Declared unit: The functional unit for which impacts are reported (e.g., 1 m² of flooring at specified thickness)
- Reference service life: Assumed product lifespan for lifecycle calculations
Environmental Impact Indicators
The core of the EPD reports environmental impacts across standardized categories:
- Global Warming Potential (GWP): Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions contributing to climate change—often the most scrutinized metric
- Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP): Contributions to stratospheric ozone destruction
- Acidification Potential (AP): Emissions contributing to acid rain
- Eutrophication Potential (EP): Nutrient pollution affecting water bodies
- Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP): Smog formation potential
- Abiotic Depletion Potential: Consumption of non-renewable resources
Lifecycle Stages
Impacts are typically broken down by lifecycle module:
- A1-A3 (Product Stage): Raw material supply, transport, and manufacturing
- A4-A5 (Construction): Transport to site and installation
- B1-B7 (Use Stage): Use, maintenance, repair, replacement
- C1-C4 (End of Life): Demolition, transport, waste processing, disposal
- D (Beyond System): Potential benefits from recycling or energy recovery
Comparing EPDs for Product Selection
EPDs enable environmental comparison between products—but valid comparison requires understanding some important caveats.
Comparison Requirements
For meaningful comparison, products must:
- Follow the same PCR: Different PCRs use different methodologies, making comparison invalid
- Use the same functional unit: Comparing per square meter to per square foot produces meaningless results
- Cover the same lifecycle stages: A cradle-to-gate EPD can't be compared to a cradle-to-grave EPD
- Serve the same function: Comparing carpet to hardwood requires adjusting for different service lives
What to Compare
When comparing similar products with comparable EPDs:
- Global Warming Potential: Lower GWP indicates lower carbon footprint
- Stage A1-A3 impacts: Manufacturing impacts are the most controllable by product selection
- Service life assumptions: Longer-lasting products may have lower impacts over time
Industry-Wide vs. Product-Specific EPDs
Two types of EPDs serve different purposes:
- Industry-wide EPDs: Represent average products in a category; useful for early design estimates but less precise
- Product-specific EPDs: Represent a specific manufacturer's product; provide accurate data for actual specified products
For LEED, both types satisfy the Building Product Disclosure credit, but product-specific EPDs earn additional points under certain credit pathways.
Limitations of EPD Comparison
EPDs don't capture every environmental consideration:
- Human health impacts from chemical exposure require separate HPD review
- Local environmental impacts (where manufacturing occurs) aren't fully captured
- Social and economic sustainability falls outside EPD scope
EPDs in LEED Certification
LEED v4 and v4.1 introduced significant credit opportunities for products with EPDs, making environmental transparency a pathway to certification points.
Building Product Disclosure and Optimization Credit
The MR Credit: Building Product Disclosure and Optimization—Environmental Product Declarations offers up to 2 points:
Option 1: Environmental Product Declaration (1 point)
Use at least 20 permanently installed products from at least five different manufacturers with:
- Product-specific Type III EPDs conforming to ISO 14025, 21930, or EN 15804
- Industry-wide (generic) EPDs—these count as half a product
Option 2: Multi-Attribute Optimization (1 point)
Use products that demonstrate impact reduction through:
- Third-party certified products demonstrating impact improvement
- Products with below-industry-average impacts in specific categories
Counting Products
LEED counts distinct products, not quantities. One flooring product from one manufacturer counts once regardless of how many square feet are installed. Products from different manufacturers count separately even if similar.
Documentation Requirements
For LEED submission, compile:
- EPD documents (PDF files)
- Verification statements confirming third-party review
- Product inventory showing which products have EPDs
- Manufacturer information for the five-manufacturer minimum
Learn more about overall LEED certification requirements and how material credits fit the broader certification strategy.
Finding EPDs for Flooring Products
EPD availability for flooring products has increased dramatically as manufacturers respond to market demand. Here's how to find EPDs for your project.
Manufacturer Websites
Most major flooring manufacturers publish EPDs on their websites, typically in sustainability or resources sections:
- Search for "EPD," "environmental," or "sustainability" in the manufacturer's website
- Look for downloadable PDF documents with the EPD label
- Contact manufacturer sustainability representatives if documents aren't visible
EPD Databases
Searchable databases compile EPDs from multiple manufacturers:
- UL SPOT: UL Environment's product database includes EPDs for certified products
- Mindful Materials: Building product database filtering by EPD availability
- EPD Hub: NSF International's EPD registry
- EPD International: Global database of verified EPDs
Industry Association Resources
Flooring industry associations provide resources:
- Resilient Floor Covering Institute: Industry-wide EPD for resilient flooring
- Tile Council of North America: Industry EPD for ceramic tile
- North American Laminate Flooring Association: Industry EPD for laminate
Flooring Categories with Strong EPD Coverage
- Carpet: Major manufacturers (Shaw, Mohawk, Interface, Tandus) have comprehensive EPD programs
- Luxury vinyl: Growing EPD availability from major brands
- Ceramic tile: Industry-wide EPD plus product-specific from larger manufacturers
- Hardwood: Multiple manufacturers offer product-specific EPDs
- Laminate: Industry EPD available; product-specific from some manufacturers
Explore our eco-friendly flooring options with environmental documentation available.
Carbon Footprint and EPDs
Global Warming Potential—the carbon footprint—has become the most scrutinized metric in EPDs as the building industry focuses on reducing embodied carbon to address climate change.
Understanding Embodied Carbon
Embodied carbon refers to greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing building products, distinct from operational carbon from building energy use. For building materials like flooring, embodied carbon includes:
- Raw material extraction: Mining, logging, or harvesting feedstocks
- Transportation: Moving materials to manufacturing facilities
- Manufacturing: Energy used in production processes
- Packaging and distribution: Getting products to market
Reading Carbon Data in EPDs
In EPDs, carbon footprint appears as Global Warming Potential (GWP) measured in kg CO₂ equivalent per functional unit. Lower numbers indicate lower carbon impact. Compare GWP across similar products to identify lower-carbon options.
Flooring Carbon Considerations
Different flooring types have characteristic carbon profiles:
- Carpet: Carbon varies significantly based on fiber type and backing; recycled content can reduce impacts
- Vinyl: PVC production has carbon intensity; some manufacturers are reducing through process improvements
- Hardwood: Wood sequesters carbon during growth; sustainably harvested wood can be carbon-negative
- Ceramic tile: High-temperature firing requires significant energy; some manufacturers use renewable energy
- Laminate: Wood-based core provides some carbon storage; manufacturing impacts vary
Beyond Product Selection
While EPDs help select lower-carbon products, other strategies also reduce flooring carbon impacts:
- Durability: Longer-lasting floors mean less frequent replacement
- Regional sourcing: Products manufactured closer reduce transportation emissions
- End-of-life programs: Recycling extends material value and reduces virgin material demand
For projects prioritizing carbon reduction, our Pensacola flooring team can help identify products with documented lower carbon footprints.