EPD Standards Guide: ISO 14025 & EN 15804 Explained

Have you ever picked up a product and wondered if its ‘eco-friendly’ label is really true?

That’s where Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) come in. An EPD works a bit like a nutrition label, but instead of calories and vitamins, it shows the environmental impact of a product. The data comes from a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and is reviewed by independent experts, so you can trust what it says.

To make sure all EPDs follow the same rules, international standards were created. The main one is ISO 14025, which sets the framework for transparent, verified environmental declarations. For construction materials, there’s an extra layer of guidance through EN 15804, which makes EPDs easier to compare across products like cement, steel, or insulation.

In this blog, we’ll break down these two standards in simple terms and explain why they matter for businesses, builders, and buyers.

What Are Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)?

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a document that explains the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle, from raw material extraction to end of life. It is created using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and must follow international standards like ISO 14025 or EN 15804. To ensure credibility, EPDs are always verified by an independent third party.

EPDs give transparent and reliable data that can be compared across products. For manufacturers, they help prove sustainability claims, gain trust, and meet requirements for green building certifications such as LEED and BREEAM. For architects, builders, and project teams, EPDs make it easier to select products with lower environmental impact and support sustainable design choices.

ISO 14025: Foundation of EPDs

ISO 14025 is the international standard that defines how Type III Environmental Declarations (EPDs) should be developed and communicated. It matters because it sets the foundation for credible, comparable, and globally recognized product sustainability reporting. Without ISO 14025, EPDs would lack consistency and trust.

The standard outlines three key requirements:

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): All EPDs must be based on a complete and scientifically robust LCA.

• Transparency: The results must be reported in a clear and standardized format so different products can be compared fairly.

• Independent Verification: Every EPD must be reviewed and verified by a qualified third party to ensure accuracy and credibility.

By following ISO 14025, businesses can ensure their EPDs meet international expectations and provide reliable data for regulators, customers, and green building certifications.

EN 15804: The European Standard

EN 15804 is the European standard that provides the core rules for creating Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for construction products. It ensures that EPDs are consistent, transparent, and comparable across the industry.

Key elements include:

• Functional Unit: Defines the reference unit for the product’s function, such as “1 square meter of wall area over 50 years,” allowing for fair comparisons between products.

• System Boundaries: Specifies which life cycle stages to include, typically from raw material extraction (A1) to disposal (C4), and optionally, beyond the system boundary (Module D) for benefits like recycling.

• Indicators: Lists mandatory environmental impact categories to report, such as climate change, ozone depletion, and acidification, ensuring comprehensive environmental performance assessment.

By adhering to EN 15804, manufacturers and project teams can provide credible, standardized environmental data, facilitating informed decision-making in sustainable construction.

Case Study: Cement Manufacturer’s EPD

A European cement company created an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its Portland Cement (CEM I), following both ISO 14025 and EN 15804 standards. The EPD was verified by an independent third party, making the data reliable and trustworthy.

The declaration includes detailed information on the product’s environmental impacts, like global warming potential, based on a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

By sharing this transparent data, the company supports sustainable construction and helps projects qualify for green building certifications like LEED and BREEAM.

Key takeaway: This example shows how following ISO 14025 and EN 15804, along with third-party verification, ensures a credible and useful EPD for manufacturers and builders alike.

ISO 14025 vs EN 15804

ISO 14025 establishes the framework for Type III Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), applicable across various industries globally. It provides general guidelines for developing EPDs based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), ensuring transparency and consistency.

EN 15804, on the other hand, offers detailed, sector-specific guidance designed for the construction industry within the European market. It builds upon ISO 14025 by introducing a modular system (Modules A1–D) that defines specific life cycle stages, from raw material extraction to disposal. This modular approach allows for a more granular and standardized reporting of environmental impacts.

Why Align with Both?

Companies often align with both standards to ensure compliance with international and regional requirements. ISO 14025 provides a global framework, while EN 15804 offers construction-specific rules, facilitating broader market access and adherence to sustainability certifications like LEED and BREEAM.

In summary, while ISO 14025 lays the groundwork for EPDs across industries, EN 15804 refines these principles to address the unique needs of the construction sector, ensuring detailed, comparable, and transparent environmental reporting.

Why These Standards Matter for You

For manufacturers, following ISO 14025 and EN 15804 standards adds credibility to your environmental claims and opens up new market opportunities. Standardized and verified EPDs help your products qualify for sustainability certifications like LEED and BREEAM, and make them more attractive to environmentally conscious buyers and partners.

For buyers, architects, and project teams, these standards provide trustworthy, comparable data on a product’s environmental impact. EPDs allow informed decision-making, ensuring that selected materials meet regulatory requirements and sustainability goals.

By aligning with ISO 14025 and EN 15804, companies can enhance transparency, reduce risks, and strengthen their position in a competitive market while supporting sustainable construction and manufacturing practices.

How to Get Started with EPD Standards

Getting started with EPD standards involves a clear, step-by-step approach. First, conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impact of your product across all life cycle stages. Next, prepare the EPD draft, ensuring it follows ISO 14025 or EN 15804 rules, including functional units, system boundaries, and impact categories.

After drafting, seek third-party verification to ensure accuracy and credibility. Verified EPDs can then be published in recognized databases such as EPD International, Environdec, or regional platforms, making them accessible to buyers and project teams.

Common tools and databases for LCA and EPD development include SimaPro, GaBi, and the ecoinvent database. Using these ensures that your EPD is robust, standardized, and aligned with global sustainability expectations.

At Growlity, we specialize in supporting businesses to develop high-quality Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that meet international standards. Our team provides end-to-end guidance, from conducting LCAs to preparing EPDs and obtaining third-party verification, helping you communicate your product’s sustainability transparently and effectively.

Contact us to start your EPD journey and make your products more sustainable and market-ready.

Conclusion

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are a practical way to show the real environmental impact of a product. They go beyond claims and provide transparent, verified data that stakeholders can trust. By following ISO 14025 and, for construction products, EN 15804, businesses can create EPDs that are recognized internationally and meet industry standards.

For manufacturers, EPDs help build credibility, open up new markets, and make it easier to qualify for green building certifications like LEED or BREEAM. For project teams, architects, and buyers, EPDs provide clear, comparable information that supports sustainable decision-making and ensures compliance with environmental goals.

The process is straightforward: start with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), prepare the EPD draft, get it verified by a third party, and publish it in recognized databases like Environdec or EPD International. Tools like SimaPro, GaBi, and ecoinvent help make this process accurate and manageable.

In a world where sustainability matters more than ever, EPDs give your business a competitive edge, help meet regulations, and contribute to a greener future. They are a simple, credible way to show your commitment to environmental responsibility.