BRE Global: Should You Publish Your EPD Here?
For UK-focused manufacturers, BRE Global looks like the obvious EPD gatekeeper. Its name shows up in BREEAM manuals, BIM libraries, and spec sheets from Manchester to Melbourne. Yet size, rules, and service model matter when you are racing to hit a tender deadline. Here is the operator’s real footprint and how it compares.
A mid-sized but visible programme
BRE hosts 346 construction EPDs, putting it in Eco Platform’s “Large” operator bracket and roughly one tenth the catalogue of IBU or Environdec (Eco Platform, 2025). While the count is modest, every declaration is mirrored on BRE’s GreenBook Live database and most feed straight into BREEAM project tools. Visibility punches above raw numbers.
Aligned with EN 15804 +A2 and ISO 14025
BRE updated its General Programme Instructions in late 2024 to embed the A2 amendments to EN 15804 and extend climate impact factors to 2050 horizons (BRE, 2024). For North American bids, note that BRE still references European default electricity mixes unless you supply plant-specific data, so double-check those grid factors before sign-off.
Five-year shelf life, with a two-week renewal window
Like most European operators, BRE caps validity at five years, but its guidance claims “virtually instant” re-listing if no process changes occurred (BRE, 2024). In practice, reviewers ask for a fresh production year and updated transport distances, which can take two weeks if your data is ready.
Mutual listing with IBU
A standing agreement lets a BRE-verified EPD appear in the German IBU library without extra modelling (BRE Press Release, 2017). Handy when your cladding panels end up specified in both London and Leipzig. The reverse also works, offering a quick route for continental suppliers eyeing UK public works.
How BRE treats confidential ingredients
BRE allows “blind components” if they are under 1 percent mass per declared unit, but anything above that threshold needs a CAS number and upstream emissions factor. If you rely on proprietary additives, budget an NDA conversation early.
Typical timeline—and the bottleneck
Internal LCA plus independent verification usually lands between eight and twelve weeks. The slowest step is often gathering utility bills and waste logs from multiple plants, not the BRE desk review. Getting those datasets organised upfront can slash the schedule in half.
Data pro-tip: BRE reviewers accept meter-level electricity exports as credits only if you provide monthly spreadsheets, PDFs alone will bounce back. A small detail yet it saves days of email ping-pong.
Cost signals
Public fee tables are not published. Anecdotal ranges put the BRE registration at a mid-three-figure pound sterling level per EPD, higher than some smaller national schemes, lower than global flagships. Reliable averages remain hard to pin down.
When BRE is the right fit
- You need BREEAM credits fast—up to 1.5 credits ride on product-specific EPDs in BREEAM v6 (BRE, 2024).
- Your sales base is primarily the UK or Ireland.
- You value auto-listing on both GreenBook Live and Eco Platform.
When to look elsewhere
If your bid lists emphasise LEED or U.S. Buy Clean compliance, a North American operator may cut paperwork. Likewise, if you plan more than ten EPDs a year, a larger scheme with bulk discounts might edge out BRE on cost.
Speed checklist you can act on today
- Lock a single production year of data, including any scope 2 certificates.
- Confirm your chosen PCR version matches the July 2024 BRE instruction update.
- Request GreenBook Live listing codes during contract kick-off, not after verification.
Miss one step and the timetable will slip, we have seen it happend.
Bottom line
BRE Global offers a balanced route: strong UK market recognition, credible EN 15804 alignment, and a manageable EPD count that keeps reviewer queues short. If those points map to your sales strategy, publishing here is a safe bet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BRE Global require a plant audit before publishing an EPD?
No. Verification is a document review rather than an on-site audit, though reviewers may request photos or invoices to validate unusual process claims.
Can one BRE EPD cover several factories producing the same product?
Yes, if you model weighted averages. BRE flags any site contributing more than 15 percent of annual volume; list them separately inside the appendix.
Will a BRE EPD automatically count toward BREEAM credits?
Yes. Product-specific EPDs listed on GreenBook Live earn up to 1.5 credits under BREEAM v6 materials scoring (BRE, 2024).
Does BRE accept cradle-to-gate studies only, or full cradle-to-grave models?
Both. Construction products must at least cover modules A1–A3; adding C and D increases comparability but is optional.
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.
