Win Hyperscalers: The Environmental Data Playbook

What hyperscalers actually check

They look for product‑specific, third‑party verified EPDs, facility detail where feasible, and numbers they can benchmark across bids. Many teams screen materials in EC3 and expect data to flow in modern, machine‑readable formats like OpenEPD so it drops into their dashboards with no drama (Building Transparency, 2025). Amazon even codified EC3 use in contract documents, which rewards manufacturers that publish high‑quality EPDs (Amazon, 2025).

Why the bar keeps rising

LEED v5 put embodied carbon in the spotlight, which raises expectations on EPD quality and coverage in commercial work, including data centers (USGBC, 2025). Microsoft reports that Scope 3 rises are tied to data center construction materials, so suppliers that can document and reduce concrete and steel impacts move up the list (Microsoft, 2025).

First move: decide your scope like a product launch

Pick a clear reference year for utilities, volumes, and wastes. Map which plants feed which SKUs. If a product is new, consider a prospective EPD using the first three months of production, then refresh once a full year is available. Treat the EPD like a sell sheet that happens to be science‑grade.

Choose the right PCR the smart way

A PCR is the rulebook of Monopoly. Ignore it and the game falls apart. Start by checking which PCR your closest competitors used, its remaining shelf life, and the program operator your buyers prefer. If your exact PCR does not exist, valid generic construction PCRs can be a bridge until the next renewal cycle.

Hit credible thresholds, not wishful ones

Public buyers publish concrete and CMU GWP limits with EPD proof, and private buyers often mirror them. Use those numbers as a reality check for your mixes and supply chain data. GSA’s current limits require a product‑specific Type III EPD to demonstrate compliance, with facility‑specific data encouraged where feasible (GSA, 2025).

Make your data plug‑and‑play

Publish with a respected program operator, then ensure your declaration can be consumed digitally. OpenEPD makes EPDs interoperable across databases and tools used by hyperscalers, cutting time‑to‑comparison for their teams (Building Transparency, 2025). That small formatting choice often decides who gets a same‑day callback.

Prioritize the materials that move the needle

Concrete, steel, glass, and major envelope items dominate embodied carbon in data centers. Start there. Microsoft’s recent moves toward low‑carbon concrete, near‑zero steel, and even mass timber signal where procurement preferences are headed (Microsoft, 2025). If your catalog includes these categories, publish those EPDs first, then cascade to finishes.

EPD hygiene that wins bids

Keep declared units consistent with the PCR. Confirm system boundaries and modules match what buyers expect. Note your EPD expiry horizon on every submittal and avoid surprises within six months of a renewal. Any facility change that shifts impacts materially should trigger a check‑in rather than a last‑minute scramble.

Data collection the easy way

Build a simple RACI: plant operations for utilities and yields, procurement for supplier LCIs, quality for scrap rates, sustainability for LCA coordination, product for SKUs and volumes. Pre‑format files so the same columns can serve multiple EPDs. This removes the “heroics tax” from every new request and gets you to verification sooner.

Selecting an LCA and EPD partner without regrets

Look for three things. First, a white‑glove data intake that chases and cleans inputs across plants so your engineers are not stuck in spreadsheets. Second, speed that is proven across multiple product types with on‑time verifier approvals. Third, operator‑agnostic publishing and OpenEPD delivery, so your data shows up where hyperscalers actually shop. Never pick purely on price, the ROI comes from faster specs and fewer blocked bids.

Turn submittals into sales enablement

Preload EPDs into EC3 project folders your reps use with GCs and trades. Add one slide that converts your EPD into a talking point: declared unit, GWP, facility note, and the two levers that cut it. The first time a buyer says “we can drop this straight into our model,” you know the flywheel is working.

Watchouts that sink otherwise great products

• Mismatched declared units that make you look artificially high or low.
• PCR expiries that force a redo mid‑pursuit.
• Generic background data where facility‑specific data was reasonably available, which can reduce credibility.
• Beautiful PDFs with no machine‑readable data. That is a dead end in modern procurement.

Proof that this work pays back

Hyperscalers and their builders increasingly benchmark bids with EC3 against published EPDs. Amazon reports more than 50,000 EC3 users and over 150,000 EPDs driving decisions, with EC3 embedded in contracts, which means your data quality directly affects shortlist odds (Amazon, 2025). LEED v5 elevates embodied carbon, so missing or weak EPDs now carry a scoring penalty in many pursuits (USGBC, 2025).

Make hyperscaler compliance a repeatable habit

Set a quarterly EPD cadence, track expiries like you track inventory, and publish in a digital format buyers can consume instantly. Do that and environmental data shifts from hurdle to advantage. You will definately feel the difference when bids stop asking for clarifications and start asking for delivery dates.