The difference between EN 15804 A1 and EN 15804 A2 data

EN 15804 standard

The cornerstone EPD standard, EN 15804, has been broadly adopted worldwide. In July 2019, a major amendment, EN 15804+A2, was approved which changes EPDs significantly and will become mandatory in July 2022. Read up on how to prepare for EN 15804 A2 in this link.

With the amendment of EN 15804 being issued, namely EN 15804 A2, a change of the impact category array comes along. The categories which are taken into consideration are almost identical, however the measurement units they are represented by, are different from the ones in EN 15804 A1. 

How this affects building LCA calculations

The changes coming from the EN 15804 A2 amendment will make it impossible for EPDs which only have EN 15804 A2 emissions to be used in LCA calculations together with the regular EN 15804 A1 EPDs. A1 data cannot be simply converted into A2 data.

To clarify on this, please see the tables below what the changes between EN 15804 A1, and A2, are. 

Required impact categories according to EN 15804 A1

Impact category	Global Warming Potential (GWP)	Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)	Acidification Potential (AP)	Eutrophication Potential (EP)	Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP)
Unit	Kg CO2 Eq.	Kg CFC11 Eq.	Kg SO2 Eq.	Kg PO4 Eq.	Kg Etheene (C2H4) Eq.

Required impact categories according to EN 15804 A2

Impact category	Global Warming Potential - Fossil	Global Warming Potential - Biogenic	Global Warming Potential - LULUC*	Ozone Depletion potential - (ODP)**	Eutrophication Potential - Terrestrial	Eutrophication Potential - Marine	Eurtrophication Potential - Freshwater	Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP)	Acidification Potential
Unit	Kg CO2 Eq.	Kg CO2 Eq.	Kg CO2 Eq.	Kg CFC 11 Eq.	Mol N Eq.	Kg N Eq.	Kg Po4 Eq.	Kg NMVOC nt	Mol H+ Eq.

*Land use and Land Change

** The ODP in EN 15804 A2 is of a different version and is not compatible

How does One Click LCA handle A2 EPDs?

We will integrate A2 EPDs as usual, however these will be accompanied by a 'BLOCKED' warning. The reason being that these EPDs cannot be used in normal Building LCA calculations which follow A1 requirements for their results. Certain other tools such as Product LCA tools, whom are already inline with EN 15804 A2, may make use of A2 data.

You can find out how we handle Ineligible EPDs in the following article: How One Click LCA deals with ineligible EPDs.