EPD programme operator – who verifies and publishes an EPD?

A main contractor, an investor or a customer abroad asks a construction product manufacturer one question: do you have an EPD for this product? The new EU Construction Products Regulation came into force in January 2025. Step by step, it will also require manufacturers to declare the climate impact of their products. The customer accepts an EPD only if the right programme published it and an independent person checked it.

• EPD programme operator: the body that runs an EPD programme, sets its rules and publishes checked EPDs.
• Preparation: your own team or an LCA consultant prepares the LCA and the draft EPD.
• Verification: an independent verifier, approved by the programme, checks the LCA and the EPD.
• ECO Platform: an optional mark for checked programmes that helps on European markets.

What is an EPD and why is an LCA alone not enough?

An EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) shows the impact of a product on the environment. It is based on a life cycle assessment (LCA). It gives data on the whole life of the product: raw materials, production, transport, use and the end of life.

For the basics, such as the data you need and how long it takes, see our page on the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).

An LCA is the basis for the numbers and describes the method. But it is not yet an EPD. A consultant or your own team can write the LCA report. An EPD needs three more steps: a document under the rules of a programme, a check by a verifier and publication. Only then can you show the EPD to a customer or an investor.

What do ISO 14025 and EN 15804 mean for an EPD?

ISO 14025 is the standard for type III environmental declarations. It sets the rules for EPD programmes and for the declarations. An EPD under ISO 14025 is made within a programme, follows its rules and has an independent check.

For construction products, the main standard is EN 15804. It sets the rules for EPDs in this group, and all of Europe uses it. You will often see it written as EN 15804+A2 or EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.

Buyers expect all construction EPDs to use the same method. Then they can compare emissions and other impacts. So the words “in line with ISO 14025 and EN 15804” are not decoration. They tell the reader that the EPD follows the right rules.

Who can prepare an EPD, and who can verify it?

Your own team or an LCA consultant can prepare an EPD. They collect the data, build the model, write the LCA report and draft the EPD. At this stage, you need data on the product, raw materials, energy, transport, waste and production.

Verification is a separate role. Under ISO 14025, an independent verifier checks the LCA and the EPD. The verifier must not have helped to prepare them. The programme operator decides who may verify in its programme. It can approve single verifiers or certification bodies. So the consultant who wrote your EPD cannot verify it.

Who is the EPD programme operator and what does it do?

An EPD programme operator runs a formal system for publishing EPDs. It sets the rules, the template, the review steps and how it approves verifiers. The EPD is officially issued in its system.

The operator's tasks are:

• running the programme rules,
• setting what the documents must contain,
• applying the right product category rules,
• organising or approving independent checks,
• publishing EPDs in its register,
• managing updates, corrections and withdrawals.

So the EPD programme operator does more than publish a PDF file. It makes sure the whole programme is consistent and credible.

Your choice of operator affects the cost and the time. It also affects how well buyers know your EPD and if they accept it. An EPD for one local customer is a different case from an EPD for Germany, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom or global supply chains.

How does EPD verification work and what does the verifier check?

EPD verification is more than reading the document. It is a technical review of the method, data and results. The verifier checks that:

• the right standard was used,
• the declared or functional unit is correct,
• the system boundaries are correct,
• the data quality is good enough,
• the results in the declaration match the LCA report.

The verifier also checks how you split and cut off data, your scenarios for transport, use and end of life, and how you show results. Extra product information must not mislead the reader. And the EPD must meet the programme rules.

So a verified EPD is worth much more than an informal product description. It is not a certificate that the product is “green”. It does not mean that the product is the best for the environment. But it shows data in a standard format, so customers can assess the product in a specific use.

Does an EPD have to be published in ECO Platform?

No, not every EPD has to be published in ECO Platform. ECO Platform is a European association of EPD programmes, mainly for construction products. It aims to make EPDs more credible and consistent. You can find more on eco-platform.org.

An EPD with the mark “ECO PLATFORM VERIFIED” comes from a programme that passed an ECO Platform audit. The audit checked how the programme applies its rules and how it verifies. The mark can help your EPD on European markets and with customers who know this system.

An EPD without this mark is not wrong. It can follow ISO 14025 and EN 15804, be verified and be published by a known programme. But before you choose, check if your customer, tender or export market requires a specific operator or mark.

What are PCR (product category rules)?

PCR (product category rules) say how to prepare the LCA and the EPD for one product category. A PCR states which data you need, which unit to use and which life stages to include. It also sets the rules for transport, use, end of life and the indicators to report.

PCR matter because you cannot prepare an EPD in any way you like. EPDs for similar products should follow the same rules. Otherwise, you cannot compare the results. For construction products, EN 15804 is the main reference. More detailed rules add requirements for groups such as insulation, concrete, steel, wood or windows.

Choosing the right PCR is one of the first steps. It affects the data you need, the model, the results and whether buyers accept the EPD. A large and current library of PCR is a sign of a mature programme, because it needs expert staff.

How does an EPD prepare your company for the new CPR?

EU rules for construction products give more weight to environmental data. The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) links technical performance with environmental impact. An EPD gives a manufacturer a good starting point.

An EPD does not replace the declaration of performance. And today it is not mandatory for every product. But it can prepare your company for new rules. It puts your data on raw materials, energy, transport, waste and production in order. Buyers will look at exactly these areas when they assess construction products.

A good EPD helps you answer contractors, investors and designers faster. It also helps you prepare data for product databases, digital product passports and ESG reports. So an EPD is more than an environmental document. It prepares you for new ways to share product data.

What should you check before you choose who prepares and publishes your EPD?

Before you start, set the business goal of the EPD. Answering one customer is different from exporting to several European countries. A building certification, a public tender or an international customer may also need a different scope.

Check if the operator you choose:

• works under ISO 14025,
• applies EN 15804+A2 for construction products,
• has public programme rules,
• requires independent verification,
• publishes declarations in a register,
• is known to buyers in your target market.

Also check if you can get the ECO Platform mark, if your investor or customer requires it.

On your side, prepare technical, purchasing, energy and environmental data. Name the people responsible for production, recipes, transport, waste and product data. The better your data, the faster the verification and the fewer corrections at the end.