From EPD Sheet to Whole-Building Scorecard
Architects and LCA consultants rarely read your EPD the way you do. Instead, they scrape the underlying numbers—impact per kilogram, declared unit, module splits—and funnel them straight into digital tools that calculate a building’s carbon footprint in minutes. If your product lacks an EPD, the software swaps in a generic stand-in with higher impacts, nudging you off the spec list before you even hear about the project.
Why specifiers start with databases
Whole-building LCA software doesn’t roam the web; it plugs into structured pools like EC3, ÖKOBAUDAT, and INIES. Each database ingests EPD XML or CSV files, then normalizes units so thousands of materials can be compared side by side. EC3 alone hosts over 130 000 North American construction EPDs, triple the count from 2021 (EC3, 2024). If your EPD isn’t in the mix, you’re invisible at the click-of-a-dropdown.
How LCA tools pull your numbers
Once a designer selects “concrete block, high-strength,” the software lifts your A1–A3 impacts into the assembly model, multiplies by quantity, and adds transport, installation, and end-of-life factors. The math takes seconds, but only if field names align with EN 15804 or ISO 21930 schemas. Miss a unit or mis-label a module and the import fails silently; the user picks someone else’s EPD instead (NMD, 2025).
When no EPD exists, garbage goes in
Tools default to generic or worst-case factors pulled from national inventories. For steel studs, the generic coefficient in one U.S. dataset is 2.4 kg CO₂e per kilogram—about 30 % higher than median manufacturer-specific EPDs published last year (US DOE, 2025). That penalty flows through the entire WBLCA and can tip the design over regulation thresholds, so specifiers drop the outlier product early.
Competitive edge you can measure
Projects chasing LEED v5, BREEAM, or France’s RE2025 label earn up to five points for swapping a baseline material with a lower-impact alternative. If your EPD beats the database average by even 10 %, it can unlock those credits without redesign. On a 40-story mixed-use tower in Chicago, the credit swing translated to $1.8 M in additional fee opportunity for the structural steel supplier, according to Skidmore engineers quoted in a 2024 conference paper. Reliable numbers, same skyline, bigger pie.
Quick checks before you publish
- Verify your PCR version matches competitors; alignment keeps apples with apples.
- Export a test XML and load it into a free viewer like One Click Checker to catch mapping errors.
- Push to at least one public database the day the EPD goes live—waiting a month means dozens of bids roll on without you.
Bring it full circle
An EPD isn’t a PDF trophy, it’s a data feed wired straight into the modeling engines that decide who gets specified. Land in those feeds with clean, schema-ready files, and your product walks into every early design meeting while you sleep. Miss the feed, and you may never know why the phone didn’t ring. Theire loss is your choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens in a WBLCA if a product has no manufacturer-specific EPD?
The software substitutes a generic or worst-case dataset, usually inflating impacts by 15–40 %. That makes it harder for the product to meet carbon targets, so specifiers often switch to a competitor with an EPD.
Do I need to list every life-cycle stage in my EPD for WBLCA use?
At minimum, A1–A3 (production) must be included. A4, A5, and C modules aren’t always required but increase accuracy, especially under EN 15804 +A2-based tools.
Which databases should I upload my EPD to for U.S. projects?
EC3, SMART EPD’s ECO Portal, and the U.S. LCI Database cover most WBLCA workflows. Uploading is usually free and takes under an hour once your XML passes validation.
How often do I need to update an EPD to stay competitive?
Five years is the maximum validity. But if you’ve cut energy intensity or switched suppliers, refreshing sooner can lower impacts and boost your ranking in database filters.
About the Author
With a passion for sustainability and a love for complex data, Toby helps manufacturers efficiently collect data from across their organization and get their EPDs done right. He’s especially interested in how AI can support human expertise, helping R&D and factory teams work faster, smarter, and with less friction.
