EPDs and animals, the spec you didn’t expect
Most teams read EPDs for carbon and stop there. Yet the same declaration carries clues about rivers, fish, forests and pollinators. If your product’s numbers push the wrong way on eutrophication, acidification, land use or water use, wildlife feels it and so do your bids. Let’s translate the animal story inside your EPD into choices that win specs without drama.
Why animals belong in an EPD conversation
EPDs tally impacts tied to habitat and species health, not only climate. Resource extraction for buildings drives biodiversity loss and water stress at scale, which is exactly what your EPD’s land and water indicators are hinting at (UNEP IRP, 2024).
Think of an EPD as a field guide. It does not list birds by name, it shows the conditions that help or harm them.
The four EPD numbers that signal wildlife risk
- Eutrophication potential signals nutrient runoff that fuels algal blooms and fish kills. US EPA documents growing dead zones that suffocate aquatic life (US EPA, 2025).
- Acidification potential links to forest and freshwater stress that affects insects, amphibians and soil biota.
- Land use related impacts hint at habitat pressure and fragmentation across supply chains (UNEP IRP, 2024).
- Water use points to basin stress that reduces environmental flows needed for fish spawning and wetland birds.
Read an EPD like a wildlife biologist would
Put global warming potential beside eutrophication and water use. Similar carbon does not mean similar outcomes for rivers. Cement, pigments, or fertilizer inputs can swing nutrient and water indicators more than your kiln fuel choice.
Check the declared unit and system boundary. Cradle to gate EPDs capture upstream land and water dynamics well enough for supplier action, even if they stop before jobsite impacts.
Data that actually moves the numbers
Nutrients and metals travel in wastewater and offsite disposal. Lower phosphate detergents, closed loop process water, optimized pH control, and better dewatering often cut eutrophication at surprisingly low capex.
Switching clinker with SCMs, upping recycled content, or sourcing FSC controlled wood reduces land and water pressure per unit. Tighten fertilizer management for bio‑based inputs. The animal signal improves with each of these shifts.
PCRs and program operators set the rulebook
Your product’s PCR decides which indicators and methods apply. EPDs compliant with ISO 14025 and EN 15804 or ISO 21930 are the ones building teams can compare with a straight face, which USGBC guidance reiterates for credit use (USGBC, 2025). When options exist, favor the PCR that aligns with your competitive set and has a clear renewal path.
What buyers reward right now
LEED v5 was ratified on March 28, 2025, and continues to drive demand for third‑party EPDs within Materials credits and calculators hosted in Arc (USGBC, 2025). Teams still need a critical mass of compliant products by cost. Showing product‑specific EPDs shortens shortlist debates and de‑risks procurement.
Quick checklist to lower animal impacts without stalling production
- Map where nutrients, metals and COD leave the plant. Target the top two unit operations first.
- Ask tier‑one suppliers for monthly water, fertilizer and land management data alongside energy. Make that request contractual.
- Pilot one water reuse change and one formulation tweak per quarter, then lock gains into the next EPD update.
Common traps
Treating carbon as the only headline leaves easy wins on the table. Ignoring basin context makes water numbers look fine when they are not. Letting EPDs drift past renewal windows spooks specifiers even if the old document is still technically valid under the program rules.
Bring animals into the spec, keep it practical
Wildlife outcomes ride on choices you already control, from wash water chemistry to SCM rates to forestry screens. Get the EPD, read the non‑carbon rows, and adjust suppliers and processes that move those rows. The ROI shows up as fewer penalties in project accounting and more resilient preference in bids. It is definately simpler than it sounds when the data work is handled well.
Sources worth bookmarking
Nutrient pollution’s ecological effects and dead zones overview, with 2025 updates (US EPA, 2025). Global Resources Outlook on how extraction drives biodiversity loss and water stress (UNEP IRP, 2024). LEED v5 status, calculators and credit guidance for EPD use (USGBC, 2025).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EPD indicators are most connected to wildlife outcomes and why?
Eutrophication, acidification, land use related impacts, and water use. Nutrients drive algal blooms and hypoxia that kill fish. Acidification stresses forests and freshwater ecology. Land use signals habitat pressure. Water use indicates basin stress that lowers environmental flows. See US EPA 2025 for eutrophication impacts and UNEP IRP 2024 for land and water pressures.
Do I need a new PCR to report these metrics?
Usually no. Common construction PCRs aligned with EN 15804 or ISO 21930 already include eutrophication, acidification, land use related impacts, and water use. Your EPD will carry them if you follow the prevalent PCR for your product class.
Will LEED v5 still recognize EPDs?
Yes. LEED v5 was ratified March 28, 2025 and guidance continues to reference third‑party, ISO‑consistent EPDs within Materials credits and calculators in Arc. See USGBC 2025 resources.
How fast can we shift eutrophication numbers without major capex?
Often within one reporting cycle by tightening wastewater controls, altering cleaning chemistry, and improving dewatering. Supplier fertilizer management for bio‑based inputs also helps. Exact timelines depend on your process complexity.
About the Author
Eric works at the intersection of sustainability, regulation, and business strategy, helping manufacturers navigate the evolving landscape of EPDs and LCAs. Having spoken with hundreds of teams across North America, brings a deep understanding of what drives ROI, what regulators are asking for, and how companies can stay ahead with smart, scalable approaches to environmental reporting.
