Importing and Managing EPDs in One Click LCA

This guide helps you determine if an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is valid for inclusion in the One Click LCA database. This will tell you if the EPD is usable for your Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) calculations.

What is an EPD?

EPDs are reports that communicate the environmental impacts of a product throughout its life cycle. They are based on LCA calculations and follow these standards:

• ISO 14040 and ISO 14044: General LCA principles and requirements.
• EN 15804: European standard specifically for construction products.
• ISO 14025: International standard for EPDs.

Before you start:

1. Search the One Click LCA database. Most EPDs are already included. You can search by:
   • Product name (e.g., "EPS foam insulation")
   • EPD number (if available)
     • EPD number without language suffix, e.g. 'EPD-­MPA­-20140025­-CAG1­-EN', remove -EN
   • Manufacturer name
   • EPD program name
2. Optional: Search using the Materials Compass: This tool, within the One Click LCA software, provides comprehensive information on all EPDs, including the standard used, which can help determine its suitability for your needs.

Is the EPD valid?

If you don't find the EPD in the database, check these points to see if it's eligible:

1. Methodology: The used methodology will determine which users can see it in the database. The EPD often states what it is based on, or you can identify it by the environmental indicators and units reported.

   1. EPDs in Europe will use either PEF or CML
   2. EPDs in North America will use TRACI

2. Validity Date: EPDs are typically valid for 3-5 years. Check the first page or general information section for the validity period.

3. External Verification: Ensure the EPD has been independently verified. This is usually indicated in the general information section.

4. Life Cycle Stages: The EPD must report emissions for different life cycle stages, at minimum stages A1-A3 (raw material extraction to manufacturing). It's okay if stages A1-A3 are combined, but they cannot be combined with later stages (B, C, and D).

5. Project-Specific EPDs: These EPDs are for products used in a single project and should be added as private data points to your company account, not the main database.

Submitting an EPD:

If the EPD meets all the criteria, simply login to Materials Compass, click "Add product," and upload your documents.