EC3: The EPD data hub architects use
If buyers cannot find your product’s EPD where they look first, you risk being swapped out before the bid warms up. Building Transparency’s EC3 has become the default lookup for teams screening embodied carbon, from design models to owner checklists. It is broad, neutral, and plugged into real project tools. It is not perfectly current. Here is how to treat EC3 as a powerful signal and plan around its timing gaps without slowing sales.
What EC3 is, in plain terms
EC3 is a free, independent repository of Environmental Product Declarations hosted by Building Transparency. It aggregates EPDs from many program operators, so specifiers see a cross‑market view without hopping between portals. Think of it as the airport departures board for product carbon data.
For manufacturers, visibility here is commercial. If a product’s EPD is easy to find and clearly mapped to the right category, it stays in play when projects tighten carbon targets.
Where EC3 shows up in real work
Architects and engineers pull EC3 data directly inside design tools like Revit through widely used add‑ins, which means your EPD surfaces during modeling and takeoffs rather than as a late PDF hunt. Major owners use internal versions of EC3‑style vetting to check whether short‑listed products even have verified EPDs. Tech companies building data centers, including Google, have publicly supported this approach and use supplier screening workflows that mirror EC3 logic.
Strengths to bank on
EC3 is operator‑agnostic, so competing materials sit side by side. It normalizes key fields like declared unit, system boundary, and MasterFormat mapping, which helps teams compare like with like. The interface is simple and the search is fast, so a credible EPD shows up quickly when someone types your category.
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The freshness caveat you should plan for
Inclusion timing depends on the program operator and how structured the submitted data is. Some operators deliver verified, machine‑readable records that appear in EC3 within days of publication. Others batch updates or require extra formatting, so postings can lag by several months. Public, reliable averages on ingestion time are not published, but teams report waits that can feel longer than a bid cycle. Smart EPD is among the faster pathways because its data is prepared for digital intake.
What that lag means for sales
A late listing does not make an EPD invalid. It does make it harder to be discovered exactly when a specifier screens options. If a competitor’s EPD is visible in EC3 during schematic design and yours is not, they are more likely to stay on schedules and BOMs. That is a visibility problem, not a performance problem.
Practical steps to stay visible
Here is a simple playbook that respects how EC3 is used and avoids wheel‑spinning:
- Publish with a program operator that provides structured metadata and consistent MasterFormat mapping so EC3 can index quickly.
- Ensure the EPD PDF and the digital record match on key fields, especially declared unit and plant scope, to prevent search mismatches.
- Share the EPD file directly with priority owners and design firms while EC3 indexing catches up, and reference the exact category and code they will later find in EC3.
A quick note on validity and renewals
Most EPDs remain valid for five years, provided the underlying PCR is still used at the next renewal window. That buys time to plan updates without losing spec access mid‑project (EPD International GPI, 2024) (EPD International GPI, 2024). If a PCR expires before your next renewal, the new version simply becomes the rulebook for the update.
How EC3 fits into your carbon story
Use EC3 for discovery and benchmarking, then point deeper conversations to your verified EPD and supporting LCA. Treat the database as a storefront window. The faster your listing appears, the sooner project teams can pull your product into models and procurement portals. The slower it appears, the more you should lean on direct sharing and clear guidance on category mapping.
The short version
EC3 is the most comprehensive independent hub for EPD discovery across program operators. It plugs into the design tools and owner workflows that decide who gets specified. It is comprehensive rather than perfectly current, so smart teams plan for a short lag and keep prospects warm with direct EPD handoffs. Do this well and you keep options open across the whole funnel, from first model to purchase order. It is definately worth the small extra coordination to stay findable when it counts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EC3 an EPD program operator?
No. EC3 hosts and normalizes EPDs published by many program operators and helps users search and compare them. Your EPD must still be created, verified, and published through a recognized operator.
If my EPD is not yet visible in EC3, is it invalid for bids?
No. A current, third‑party verified EPD is valid for project documentation whether or not it has appeared in EC3. Share the EPD directly with the project team and note the category they will later find in EC3.
Does a PCR expiring make my current EPD invalid?
Not automatically. EPDs typically remain valid until their own expiry. The next renewal must use an active PCR, which may be a revised version of the previous rule. See operator guidance for details.
About the Author
Walker Ryan is a climate-tech entrepreneur focused on driving industrial decarbonization through better data. As the founder and CEO of Parq, he helps manufacturers generate high-quality, third-party–verified carbon disclosures at scale—accelerating a traditionally slow and expensive process. Before starting Parq, Walker led over $200 million in sustainability-focused investments as VP of Strategy & Growth at ReStream Solutions, following earlier experience in investment banking at Deutsche Bank. He brings a rare mix of capital markets expertise and hands-on sustainability knowledge to tackling the infrastructure of industrial emissions.
