From scattered plant data to a 90-day EPD

5 min read
February 15, 2026

Operations data lives in twelve places and none of them talk. That’s the blocker most manufacturers feel when EPDs come up. A white‑glove, AI‑enabled model flips the script by taking any reasonable input, doing the cleanup centrally, and pinging the right people only when needed. The payoff is speed without chaos and a small, predictable lift from each stakeholder. Here is what that actually looks like inside a 90‑day runway and why it scales across multi‑plant portfolios without stealing hours from production.

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From scattered plant data to a 90-day EPD
Operations data lives in twelve places and none of them talk. That’s the blocker most manufacturers feel when EPDs come up. A white‑glove, AI‑enabled model flips the script by taking any reasonable input, doing the cleanup centrally, and pinging the right people only when needed. The payoff is speed without chaos and a small, predictable lift from each stakeholder. Here is what that actually looks like inside a 90‑day runway and why it scales across multi‑plant portfolios without stealing hours from production.

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Why EPD projects stall inside plants

Scattered ERPs, supplier portals, and one heroic spreadsheet make data feel ungrabbable. Teams wait for a perfect template, then momentum dies. Buyers do not pause specs to match your calendar, so delay silently taxes pipeline.

White‑glove means “send what you have”

The model starts by accepting exports, PDFs, spreadsheets, even phone photos. Think of it like a universal charger for plant data. We translate file types, map fields, and capture provenance so auditors understand where each value came from.

Normalization that survives audit questions

Centralized unit balancing turns short tons, kilograms, and gallons into one clean ledger. Outliers get flagged instead of buried. A simple model log records assumptions so reviewers can trace every figure without email archaeology.

Targeted asks to the right people, not reply‑all threads

Requests are routed by plant and category, with context on why the value matters. Each owner gets a short orientation and specific due date. Automated reminders handle follow‑ups so managers are not playing air‑traffic control.

Hours, not weeks of internal effort

Most contributors only touch a few narrow tasks. One person confirms energy by meter, another uploads supplier EPDs, a third validates waste routes. Short, well‑timed asks keep production teams focused on throughput, not paperwork.

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The 90‑day runway, broken into three fast sprints

  1. Intake and mapping, week 1 to 3. Gather what exists, lock the reference year, confirm PCR fit, and identify any gaps that need supplier pings.
  2. Modeling and evidence, week 4 to 7. Normalize data, run A1 to A3 at minimum, produce draft tables, and assemble evidence packets for verification.
  3. Review and publish, week 8 to 13. Address verifier questions in batches, finalize disclosures, then publish with your chosen program operator.

Why timing matters in 2025 and 2026

LEED v5 advanced through ratification on March 28, 2025, which keeps pressure on project teams to document embodied carbon with product‑specific, third‑party verified EPDs for credits and procurement guardrails (USGBC, 2025). A predictable 90‑day path helps sales hit bid calendars instead of slipping a cycle.

Built for multi‑plant portfolios

The same playbook repeats product by product and site by site. Templates travel, but each plant’s utilities, yields, and scrap are kept distinct. Results roll up for leadership without flattening the nuance that auditors require.

Quality that stands up to verification

Third‑party review checks traceability, math, and conformance with EN 15804 and the selected PCR. Most programs set EPD validity at five years, so solid evidence and a tidy model pay dividends across multiple bid seasons (EPD International, 2025).

Handling PCR shifts without panic

Construction PCR 2019:14 version 1.3.4 sunset on June 20, 2025, so current EPD work typically follows version 2.0 or later. A white‑glove team tracks these cutovers for you and adjusts scope or templates before modeling starts (EPD International, 2025).

What buyers actually gain

When a product lacks a product‑specific EPD, project teams often must apply conservative defaults, which can make your material look heavier on carbon than it is. A verified EPD keeps you in contention on projects chasing carbon thresholds or LEED v5 points, which protects margin and reduces swap‑out risk.

Make speed your moat

Treat data wrangling like the assembly step before coating cure. Quick, clean inputs lead to faster, dependable outputs. Dont overthink the format. Start the intake, let a white‑glove team do the heavy lift, and keep production time where it belongs: on the floor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much internal time will a white‑glove EPD data collection process typically require from a manufacturer’s team?

With targeted asks and centralized normalization, most teams report only a few hours total per stakeholder spread across the 90‑day window. The exact time varies by data readiness and number of plants.

What happens if the chosen PCR changes during the project timeline?

Competent partners monitor PCR sunsets and version updates, then adjust templates and evidence before verification. For example, International EPD System’s construction PCR 2019:14 v1.3.4 sunset on 20 June 2025, guiding new work to v2.0+ (EPD International, 2025).

Which life‑cycle modules are essential for a construction‑product EPD?

At minimum, manufacturers include A1 to A3 under EN 15804. Many add A4 and A5 when customers ask for delivery and installation scenarios to support bids.

How long is an EPD valid and why does that matter for planning?

Most programs set EPD validity at five years, so a strong model and organized evidence support bids over several seasons and make renewals smoother (EPD International, 2025).

Does a white‑glove model still allow us to choose our preferred program operator?

Yes. A good provider is operator‑agnostic and can publish with the program that best fits your markets and verifier availability.