New Guide Helps Businesses Use Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

20 days ago

Leading sustainability consultancy Tunley Environmental has launched its latest guide, "A Guide to Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)", designed to help organisations understand, develop and apply EPDs to support compliance and gain a competitive edge.

Many businesses are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the impact of their products across the full lifecycle.


Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are pivotal in meeting these expectations, enabling organisations to provide verified data aligned with frameworks such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), BREEAM and LEED.


Tunley Environmental's new guide provides a structured overview of how EPDs work, how they are developed and how organisations can use them. It is designed for commercial stakeholders looking to move beyond high-level sustainability commitments and apply robust data to procurement, reporting and product positioning.


The guide covers:


  • What Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are and how they differ from LCAs and Product Carbon Footprints
  • How to interpret EPD data, including lifecycle stages, system boundaries and environmental indicators
  • The role of international standards such as ISO 14025 and EN 15804 in ensuring consistency and comparability
  • How EPDs can support compliance with frameworks including CSRD, LEED and BREEAM
  • The process of developing an EPD, from data collection through to third-party verification
  • How organisations can use EPDs to improve tender success, strengthen ESG reporting and differentiate products in competitive markets



The guide is now available to download from the Tunley Environmental website here.

Technical Context

Data from the International EPD System shows that more than 9,000 EPDs were published in 2025 alone, highlighting the growing importance of verified product environmental data across sectors including manufacturing, construction and infrastructure.

"EPDs are quickly becoming an important part of how organisations demonstrate transparency, meet regulatory expectations and compete among competition. This guide is designed to help businesses understand what EPDs are, how to use them effectively and how to support both compliance and commercial results."

— Dr Gareth Davies at Tunley Environmental

About Tunley Environmental

Tunley Environmental empowers organisations like yours around the world to lead in environmental sustainability through tailored, science-based strategies. Our team of PhD-level scientists deliver corporate sustainability solutions that align with regulatory frameworks, scientific best practices, and your organisation's unique needs.

→ View Full Article

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 12 hours ago



Britain’s built environment faces mounting pressure to address the climate emergency through measurable action rather than declarations. The Climate Change Committee warns that the nation’s building stock is unfit for a heating world, with overheating homes and offices underscoring the urgency for sustainable building design and Whole Life Carbon Assessment. The forthcoming Energy Independence Bill signals a policy shift towards integrating renewable generation and green infrastructure within development frameworks, embedding environmental sustainability in construction rather than treating it as an optional addition. Design codes now emphasise low carbon design, Whole Life Carbon performance, and Life Cycle Cost analysis to align construction with net zero whole life carbon targets.

Material innovation is reinforcing this policy direction. New timber systems and renewable building materials such as CaberShield ECO are setting benchmarks for eco-friendly construction through low Embodied Carbon materials and verified environmental product declarations (EPDs). Circular economy in construction is advancing through digital modelling that monitors embodied carbon in materials in real time, supporting lifecycle assessment and resource efficiency in construction. These technologies enable low carbon construction materials to be tracked through production, use, and end-of-life reuse in construction, strengthening transparency across circular construction strategies.

Economic signals mirror the environmental imperative. Increased national investment in infrastructure underlines the connection between growth and decarbonising the built environment. With sustainable building practices now linked to both resilience and competitiveness, developers are embracing Life Cycle Thinking in construction, net zero carbon buildings, and green building materials. This transition points to a long-term restructuring of the sector where sustainable construction and carbon footprint reduction are embedded in every project, ensuring each low carbon building advances the shift toward carbon neutral construction and genuine sustainability.

Show More

camera_altFeatured Instagram Posts:

Get your opinion heard:

Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do get in touch.

Let's chat!
Avatar

WLC Assistant

Ask me about sustainability

Hi! I'm your Whole Life Carbon assistant. I can help you learn about sustainability, carbon assessment, and navigate our resources. How can I help you today?