Plumbing Piping EPDs in Europe: The Data Guide
What does the plumbing piping EPD landscape in Europe look like right now? This 2026 guide distills five years of activity into clear takeaways for manufacturers of pipework, water supply pipes, and sanitary piping who want to move fast and win specs.
The snapshot that matters
In the last five years, 40 currently valid EPDs were issued for plumbing piping in Europe across 19 manufacturers and 8 program operators. The freshest entry is Uponor Thermatop M, issued on Oct 12, 2025 with EPD Hub, expiring on Oct 12, 2030. That shows momentum, and it shows where specifiers are looking first.
Why this matters commercially. Project teams often assign a penalty when a product lacks a product‑specific EPD, which tilts selection toward covered products. An EPD removes that drag on your bids and helps you stay in the conversation longer.
Release cadence: steady rise, big 2025 finish
More EPDs are being published each year, with 2025 as the clear step‑up. Use this to benchmark your own timing and backlog.
| Year | EPDs issued |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 16 |
If your portfolio still has gaps, 2026 is the right moment to catch up while the field is still consolidating.
Who is publishing: leaders and the long tail
A few names are pulling ahead on volume. FRÄNKISCHE Rohrwerke leads with 8 EPDs. Uponor follows with 7. Polypipe sits at 4. Geberit holds 3. Georg Fischer JRG, Viega, and Tosçelik each have 2. The remaining 12 manufacturers contributed one EPD each. That mix suggests useful differentiation potential for smaller brands that move decisively in 2026.
Two patterns stand out. First, multi‑product publishers like FRÄNKISCHE and Uponor are turning EPDs into a portfolio habit, not a one‑off. Second, there is room for competitive judo. A single well‑chosen EPD for a high‑runner SKU can unlock many bids.
Program operators: where the market actually publishes
Program operator choice shapes timelines, reviewer interactions, and how easily buyers find your EPD. Here is the five‑year picture for plumbing piping in Europe.
- EPD Hub is the workhorse with 24 EPDs across 7 manufacturers. High share and healthy manufacturer diversity signal it is a common path to market.
- EPD International AB accounts for 8 EPDs across 7 manufacturers. Fewer EPDs, broad adoption. Good indicator of trust among competitors.
- The rest are niche in this category: EPD Italy, EPD Norway, IBU, INIES, UL, and ift Rosenheim together host the remaining 8 EPDs, often concentrated with one manufacturer each.
Translation for planning. Pick an operator your buyers already search and your reviewers know well. Operator familiarity typically reduces back‑and‑forth and shortens the road to publication.
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PCRs in play: which rulebooks competitors are using
Think of the PCR as the Monopoly rulebook. Ignore it and the game falls apart. The table below shows which PCRs are being used, how often, and the furthest expiry we see for that PCR in this category.
| PCR name | EPDs | Latest expiry |
|---|---|---|
| CEN standard EN 15804 | 1 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 core rules | 2 | Oct 12, 2030 |
| EPD Hub Core PCR v1.0 (Feb 1, 2022) | 7 | Dec 15, 2028 |
| EPD Hub Core PCR v1.1 (Dec 5, 2023) | 2 | Jun 27, 2030 |
| EPD International 2019:14 (EN 15804:A2:2019/AC:2021) v1.3.4 | 2 | Dec 19, 2029 |
| PCR 2012:01 Construction products (EN 15804:A1) | 2 | Feb 28, 2027 |
| PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) v1.3.3 | 2 | Aug 30, 2028 |
| PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804:A2) | 1 | Nov 8, 2026 |
| PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804:A2) v1.2.5 | 3 | Aug 15, 2026 |
| c‑PCR Plastics piping systems inside buildings (prEN 16904) | 8 | Aug 22, 2030 |
| Building‑Related Products Part A: Calculation Rules | 1 | Aug 14, 2030 |
| Piping systems for sewage and storm water under gravity | 1 | Dec 12, 2029 |
| Part A: Construction Products and Services | 2 | May 5, 2028 |
| Part A: General Rules for LCA and project report | 1 | Dec 18, 2028 |
| Part B: Metal pipes for domestic installations | 3 | Jun 1, 2030 |
| Part A Implementation of EN 15804 in Ireland | 1 | Dec 18, 2028 |
| National addition to NF EN 15804+A1 | 1 | May 19, 2027 |
Two quick reads. The prEN 16904 c‑PCR already anchors 8 EPDs with expiries into 2030, so plastics piping teams can plan on a stable path. Metal pipe makers have a specific Part B that stretches to 2030. EN 15804 remains the base reference across Europe and sits underneath several entries above.
Renewals ahead: how 2026 to 2030 shakes out
Use the expiry profile below to time renewals and decide which SKUs to prioritize.
- 2026 shows 5 expiries, mostly from EN 15804 A2 v1.2.5 and related entries. Several run off in late July to mid August. A single EN 15804 core entry ends on Oct 21, plus one 2019:14 A2 in early November.
- 2027 has 4 expiries, including the older EN 15804 A1 track by February and a national addition in May.
- 2028 is busy with 9 expiries. Four of those are EPD Hub Core v1.0, and others touch Part A frameworks and a 2019:14 A2 v1.3.3.
- 2029 looks lighter at 6. Watch Dec 12 and Dec 19 for sewage systems and EPD International 2019:14 v1.3.4.
- 2030 is the next crest at 16, driven by prEN 16904 plastics piping, Part B Metal pipes, and two EPD Hub Core v1.1 entries.
Practical move. Start data refresh six to nine months before expiry. That buffer helps you avoid rush premiums from reviewers and avoids gaps in specifications.
EPD consultants: how often teams get help
Half of all EPDs in this category involved a third‑party EPD service provider. That is 20 of 40 in the last five years. The takeaway is simple. Outsourcing the data chase and LCA modeling is a norm, not an exception, especially for multi‑site production and complex BOMs. If you want a white‑glove option that speeds up data collection and publishing, Parq is built for that.
Program operator fit: how to choose for plumbing piping
Operator choice is rarely about ideology. It is about reviewer capacity, queue length, and where your buyers search. EPD Hub and EPD International AB host the bulk of this category. National operators like IBU, INIES, EPD Italy, and EPD Norway can be good fits when you sell heavily into those markets or need language‑localized coverage. If your product is plastics pipework, watch alignment with prEN 16904. For metal pipes, confirm that your operator supports the Part B pathway cleanly.
Notably absent or quiet brands in plumbing piping EPDs
Two names many buyers ask about in Europe did not appear in this category set as of Jan 19, 2026. REHAU has a current EPD in building products, but we did not find a plumbing piping EPD under their brand in the public registry used here. Henco, part of the Aalberts family, also did not appear. These companies may publish under different brands or categories, or have documentation in preparation. If you have reliable updates, please send them my way.
Counter‑example. Wavin, Valsir, SANHA, and Aliaxis‑affiliated businesses are present with current declarations, which signals active investment in this space.
Competitive plays that work in 2026
- Pick the same PCR your closest competitor used unless a newer, clearly better‑fitting option exists. This preserves comparability in tenders. If you sell plastics piping inside buildings, the c‑PCR prEN 16904 track is a pragmatic route.
- Align operator to channel. If your sales are pan‑European, EPD Hub and EPD International AB are the fastest way for buyers to find you in this category. If 80 percent of sales are in one country, consider the national operator too.
- Triage by volume and margin. Start with the SKU that wins most often or the one procurement pushes hardest. The commercial lift is immediate.
- Budget the internal hours, not just fees. Data collection across utilities, scrap, and transport is the schedule killer. A strong EPD partner should shoulder that work so engineering and operations can stay focused on production.
Final notes, and how to get the data behind the charts
This analysis draws on the global public registry most architects and specifiers use. Because of registry loading delays, the last half of 2025 may not be fully reflected yet. If you want the full up‑to‑date background dataset for this article, connect with me on LinkedIn and send a note. I am happy to share the numbers, answer questions, or hop on a quick call to help you pick the best‑fit PCR for your upcoming EPDs based on your competitive landscape.
One more intersting point. If you are weighing whether to DIY or use an EPD service provider, remember the ROI shows up in bid velocity and fewer substitutions. The cost is often paid back by a single mid‑sized project win.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which program operator hosts the most plumbing piping EPDs in Europe in the last five years and is it concentrated with one manufacturer or broad across competitors
EPD Hub leads with 24 EPDs across 7 different manufacturers, which shows broad cross‑manufacturer adoption rather than concentration with a single publisher.
How many plumbing piping EPDs used an external EPD service provider or consultant in the last five years
20 out of 40 EPDs involved a third‑party EPD service provider, indicating that outsourcing LCA and documentation is common in this category.
Which PCRs offer the longest runway for new plumbing piping EPDs started in 2026
The c‑PCR for Plastics piping systems inside buildings (prEN 16904) and the Part B for Metal pipes for domestic installations show expiries into 2030 in this dataset, providing a stable path for planning.
When should manufacturers start EPD renewals to avoid gaps in bids and specifications
Begin updates six to nine months before the expiry listed in your declaration. That buffer reduces reviewer bottlenecks and prevents gaps in procurement portals.
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.
