Getting Your EPD Written Into Project Specs
Specification writers move fast. Miss their window and your product sits on the sidelines until the next project cycle. With public agencies like Caltrans now demanding EPD submittals for asphalt and concrete bids (Caltrans, 2025) and LEED v5 making embodied-carbon accounting a prerequisite (USGBC, 2025), the spec section is turning into a carbon passport check. Here is how manufacturers can land in the right paragraph—early, clearly, and irresistibly.
The Spec Landscape in 2025
Public procurement has flipped the script. Caltrans jobs after February 1, 2025 require an EPD alongside every mix design or the bid is tossed (Caltrans, 2025). Federal agencies are lining up behind similar language while EPA tightens PCR criteria to weed out flimsy declarations (EPA, 2024). Private owners are following the same template because copy-and-paste is cheaper than reinventing clauses.
Why Specifiers Ask for an EPD
An EPD answers two questions specifiers hate leaving blank: What7s the global-warming potential? and Can I prove it to the owner? A 2024 Dodge survey found 63 percent of engineers report clients routinely request EPDs on projects; without one, the product barely makes the long list (Dodge, 2024). The EPD is now table stakes, not a novelty.
Where the Clause Lives
Look first in Division 01. Section 01 62 43 “Environmental Product Reporting” has become the default parking spot for EPD submittals. Product-specific divisions then echo it—think 03 05 15 for concrete or 05 05 15 for steel—so if your EPD is missing, a red “NO SUBMITTEL” stamp appears during review. No drama, just gone.
Timing: Beat the Issued-for-Bid Set
Spec packages freeze about six weeks before bidding. If your declaration publishes after that date, you wait months for the next project. Publish earlier and you glide into the master template that architects recycle across portfolios. Speed really is carbon currency.
Data Quality: The Silent Gatekeeper
Specifiers skim first but dig later. If your EPD pulls secondary data from a 2017 database or skips a transport assumption, trust vaporizes. EPA’s draft PCR criteria flag outdated background datasets as a non-starter (EPA, 2024). Spend extra effort on cradle-to-gate precision; it saves a thousand RFI emails down the road.
MasterFormat Meets Marketing
Getting into the spec multiplies reach. One Division 07 entry can ripple through hundreds of bids over the standard five-year refresh cycle. That exposure dwarfs any trade-show booth fee. It also locks out rivals who show up after the cutoff—they7re stuck arguing equivalency while you ship product.
Closing the Loop
Punchy, verified numbers delivered before the bid set prints—that7s the new formula. Nail those two and the spec does your selling for you, mosty while you sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which MasterFormat section usually calls for an EPD submittal?
Section 01 62 43 or a similarly titled sustainability reporting clause in Division 01, followed by echo clauses inside each product division.
How early should I publish an EPD relative to a project bid?
Aim to have the EPD available at least six weeks before the Issued-for-Bid set; that is when most spec sections lock.
Does data quality really influence specification?
Yes. Draft EPA PCR criteria (EPA, 2024) warn that low-quality datasets can void an EPD7s acceptance, and specifiers increasingly check data vintage before approval.
Will one EPD cover all my product variants?
Not if variants change composition, plant location, or manufacturing energy. Each materially different product needs its own declaration under ISO 14025.
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.
