How Leviton Is Losing to Legrand and Eaton on EPDs
Every RFP that crosses a specifier’s desk now carries a low-carbon scorecard. In wiring devices and structured cabling, the brand with the deeper Environmental Product Declaration roster lands an instant advantage. Leviton has just eight live EPDs. Legrand’s North America unit alone lists more than 1,000. Eaton sits in the middle with eight—but in categories that hit power distribution and controls directly. The gap is yawning, and bids are being decided before price even enters the chat.
Spec sheets are the new scoreboards
Third-party verified EPDs used to be nice-to-have PDFs. Today they function like league tables at a baseball park: everyone in the stands can see who is up, who is down, and by how much. Green-building codes in 26 US states now award specific points for product-specific EPDs (USGBC, 2025). If a line item has no declaration, the whole project absorbs a carbon penalty. That is why contractors often swap in a compliant brand within 48 hours of bid review.
Legrand floods bids with a thousand plus declarations
Legrand North and Central America publishes 1,038 current EPDs across cable trays, lighting fixtures, cabinets, raceways, and of course Pass & Seymour wiring devices (EC3, 2025). That scale means spec teams rarely hit a dead end—they can keep an entire BOM under one umbrella and bank the LEED points. The strategy pays off: Legrand reported a 7 % bump in North American project wins tied to sustainability criteria last fiscal year (Legrand Annual Report, 2024).
Eaton quietly banks on eight versatile EPDs
Eaton looks modest next to Legrand, yet its eight current PEP declarations cover load centers, breakers, and specialty receptacles, precisely where federal and state electrification grants focus (DOE, 2024). Because each EPD is multi-configuration, one document shields dozens of SKUs. Distributors love the simplicity. There is eleven ways spec teams judge risk, but missing paperwork tops the list.
Leviton plays in a single lane
Leviton’s entire public portfolio boils down to seven data-cabling EPDs plus one cleaning product listing (EC3, 2025). Nothing yet for Decora Smart dimmers, GFCIs, load centers, or EV chargers—segments that jointly drove more than half of Leviton’s US revenue last year according to industry analysts. Every time a school district demands proof for a tamper-resistant receptacle, contractors must either plead for a generic industry average or pivot to Pass & Seymour.
What it costs at the bid table
When a spec moves to a competitor with an EPD in hand, Leviton rarely sees the loss on paper. The project simply vanishes from the pipeline. Internal sales trackers chalk it up to price or timing. In reality the delta can be as small as a $2 outlet. Multiply that across 250 classrooms and three change orders and the hidden revenue leak balloons past six figures.
Fast track path back into contention
Launching new EPDs no longer demands a nine-month slog through spreadsheets. Modern life-cycle platforms pair automated data pulls with a white-glove analyst team so a wiring-device line can reach publication in roughly two months (NYSERDA, 2024). Closing the gap quickly unlocks:
- Immediate eligibility for public school and healthcare projects that flat-out require product-specific declarations.
- Protection against carbon adders that tip margins.
- Fresh marketing oxygen for the upcoming National Electrical Contractors Association expo.
A focused sprint on the top twenty SKUs would level the playing field faster than a firmware update.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many EPDs does Leviton currently publish for wiring devices?
Zero. The eight live EPDs in Building Transparency’s EC3 database (2025) cover seven data-cabling SKUs and one cleaning product only.
Why do specifiers favor brands with larger EPD portfolios?
A full portfolio lets them keep the bill of materials under one manufacturer, securing LEED or state carbon credits without juggling mixed documentation—saving review time and lowering project risk.
Can a new EPD really be issued in two months?
Yes. With streamlined data collection and digital LCA modeling, recent projects in electrical components have hit a 6-to-8-week turnaround from kickoff meeting to program-operator publication (NYSERDA, 2024).
Does an expired EPD still count?
Usually not for green-building credits. Programs like LEED v4.1 require current declarations, so brands relying on lapsed documents lose compliance value until they renew.
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.
