RTS EPD: Finland’s program operator, explained
If Finland is a key market, RTS EPD is the home-base program operator you’ll run into. The portal at cer.rts.fi houses EPDs alongside the familiar M1 labels, which keeps enviromental credentials under one roof. Here’s how it works, why it matters commercially, and where it fits among your options.
Who runs RTS EPD and where it lives
RTS EPD is operated by Rakennustieto Oy, part of the Building Information Foundation RTS group. It positions itself as the only Finnish EPD publisher, with services and guidance available in Finnish and English (Rakennustieto EPDs, 2025) (Rakennustieto EPDs, 2025). Their environmental services hub sits at cer.rts.fi, which also hosts the M1 emission and cleanliness classifications (Rakennustietosäätiö Uutiset, 2025) (Rakennustietosäätiö Uutiset, 2025).
Standards, scope, and recognition
RTS EPDs follow EN 15804+A2 with ISO 14025 principles and are audited under ECO Platform, enabling publication to the ECO Platform ECO Portal in ILCD+EPD format when provided (RTS EPD English, 2025) (RTS EPD English, 2025). For Nordic reach, RTS has a mutual recognition setup with the International EPD System, EPD Norway, and EPD Denmark, so one declaration can be dual‑published across programs when needed (RTS How to Apply, 2025) (RTS How to Apply, 2025).
Validity and pre‑EPDs
A standard RTS EPD is valid for five years. Pre‑EPDs are available for new products and run for 1.5 years before a full update based on actual production data is required (RTS FAQ, 2025) (RTS FAQ, 2025). That gives product teams a compliant bridge while volumes ramp.
Application flow and timing
Applications are reviewed by a technical committee. RTS asks that complete applications land at least three working days before a meeting to stay on the calendar, which is posted in the portal (RTS How to Apply, 2025). The modernized portal lets applicants track status, download certificates after approval, and manage renewals in one place (Rakennustieto News, 2025) (Rakennustieto News, 2025).
EPD tools and simplified verification
RTS can approve company or component EPD tools. Once a tool is accepted, subsequent EPDs that use it can go through a simplified verification where only entered data is checked by the verifier, and the resulting EPD is valid five years from verification. RTS reported ten accepted tools at the start of 2023, a signal that tool‑based workflows are active in this program (RTS Contents of Declaration, 2025).
Fees and friction points to watch
RTS states there are no annual fees on published EPDs and confirms five‑year validity and 1.5‑year pre‑EPD validity in its FAQ (RTS FAQ, 2025). For Nordic dual publication, published administrative fees sit in the low hundreds of euros depending on destination program, which can be useful when a spec demands a local listing alongside EU‑wide visibility (RTS Pricing, 2025) (RTS Pricing, 2025). If your EPD data shifts more than about ±10% on A1–A3 GWP, RTS expects re‑verification, aligned with EN 15804 practice (RTS FAQ, 2025).
Where RTS EPD fits in your publishing strategy
Choose RTS EPD when Finland matters commercially, when Finnish‑language service helps internal review, or when Nordic dual recognition trims administrative overhead. If your sales teams chase municipal or public projects in Finland, a locally published EPD can reduce questions and keep bids moving.
Quick selection checklist
- Standards and scope: EN 15804+A2 alignment and ECO Platform publication options.
- Cadence: committee schedule plus the three‑day submission buffer for complete files.
- Reach: need for dual publication across Nordic programs and the ECO Portal.
The spec‑side payoff
Program operator choice should keep you compliant, discoverable, and fast enough to lock the spec before it moves on. RTS EPD checks those boxes for Finland, while tool‑based verification can shave back‑and‑forth. We focus on removing the data‑collection drag so your engineers stay on the line and product teams keep momentum.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RTS EPD and who operates it?
RTS EPD is Finland’s national EPD program run by Rakennustieto Oy under the Building Information Foundation RTS. It publishes construction product EPDs aligned to EN 15804 and is supported by a central portal at cer.rts.fi (Rakennustieto EPDs, 2025).
How long are RTS EPDs valid and do they charge annual fees?
RTS states EPDs are valid 5 years, pre‑EPDs 1.5 years, and there are no annual fees on published EPDs (RTS FAQ, 2025).
Does RTS support dual publication in other programs?
Yes. RTS has arrangements for secondary publishing with the International EPD System, EPD Norway, and EPD Denmark, with administrative fees published by RTS (RTS How to Apply, 2025) (RTS Pricing, 2025).
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.
