KBOB LCA Data for Swiss Construction, Explained

What the KBOB platform is

KBOB curates Switzerland’s official reference list of life cycle assessment values for construction. It is used by public owners and design teams to model materials and assemblies consistently across projects. The database is not an EPD library. Think of it as Switzerland’s house style for baseline LCA numbers.

What the data covers

KBOB provides core manufacturing and end‑of‑life modules, with transport and operational energy add‑ons for building‑level work. In practice that means A1 to A3 and C3 to C4, plus A4 transport and B6 energy where relevant (SURAP, 2025). That structure lets building models stay comparable across cantons and project types.

Current versions and why updates matter

KBOB’s list has seen rapid updates, including Version 6.0 in September 2024, 6.1 in October 2024, and 6.2 on December 4, 2025 (ecobau, 2025). Updates capture shifts in background data such as electricity. In 2024 Swiss final energy use rose 1% to 776,220 TJ, a reminder that usage patterns and intensities move each year (SFOE, 2025) (SFOE, 2025). Grid physics shift too. Swissgrid reported 985 GWh of active power losses in 2024, equal to a 1.41% loss rate, which influences transmission‑related emissions in LCAs (Swissgrid, 2025).

KBOB vs. EN 15804 EPDs

KBOB values and EN 15804 EPDs serve different jobs. EPDs are product‑specific, third‑party verified declarations built under EN 15804. KBOB is a harmonized national reference for building‑level modeling. Several Swiss sources note that indicator sets and background datasets are not identical, so results are not one‑to‑one comparable across the two systems (Lignum, 2024). That is fine. Use KBOB to keep whole‑building studies consistent, and use EPDs to win product decisions.

Where SIA 390/1 raises the stakes

SIA 390/1 became valid on February 1, 2025 and sets lifecycle GHG limits aligned to a net‑zero pathway (Drees & Sommer, 2025). Reporting is getting sharper. One published summary cites a 9 kg CO₂/m² creation‑phase budget for new buildings, with typical new housing still nearer 15 kg CO₂/m² EBF, so better product data can mean the difference between hitting or missing targets (Espazium, 2025).

How manufacturers can actually use KBOB

Treat KBOB as the Swiss baseline your customers already model. If your product outperforms the KBOB generic for its class, a product‑specific EPD lets project teams reflect that advantage instead of defaulting to the baseline. If you are still developing an EPD, KBOB helps estimate near‑term specs while your data is assembled. It is a practical bridge and a benchmark.

Data alignment without the thrash

Two tips keep comparisons clean. First, match the system boundary. If a customer asks for A1 to A3 plus C modules, mirror that in your study or clearly map any differences. Second, match indicator sets. EN 15804+A2 impact indicators differ from older sets, so mixing them inflates or deflates results in ways that are not meaningful (ÖKOBAUDAT, 2021). When in doubt, say so rather than force a shaky comparison.

When an EPD becomes the commercial lever

Public buyers may model with KBOB at building level, yet product selection often prefers EPD‑backed numbers. That is especially true on export projects or private Swiss projects seeking EN 15804 comparability. An EPD reduces the penalty of conservative assumptions in carbon budgeting, which keeps your product in play on specs that would otherwise move on price alone. One mid‑size project win can repay the EPD effort quickly.

A short playbook to move fast

• Use the latest KBOB version for your internal baseline checks, then identify the two or three SKUs where measured performance can beat that baseline.
• Gather one full reference year of site data for those SKUs. For a brand‑new line, a prospective EPD with several months of data can start the conversation, then be updated once a full year is available.
• Publish with a program operator common to your target market. In Switzerland many teams read German, French and English, so clarity across languages matters more than clever formatting.

Bringing it together

KBOB gives Switzerland a common yardstick. EPDs give manufacturers the precise measurement that wins product decisions. Use both. Align boundaries, call out indicator sets, and keep version control tight. That is how Swiss numbers stop being a maze and start being a map. It’s definitley the calmer path to more specs and fewer surprises.