Environmental Product Declaration
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardized, third-party verified document that transparently communicates the environmental performance of a product or service throughout its life cycle, based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data. It provides quantified environmental information, such as carbon footprint, resource use, and emissions, enabling comparisons between products and supporting sustainable procurement decisions. EPDs are governed by ISO 14025 and EN 15804 standards, ensuring consistency and reliability in environmental reporting.
Developers should learn about EPDs when working on projects involving sustainability, green building, or product development, as they help quantify and communicate environmental impacts to stakeholders, regulators, and customers. This is particularly useful in industries like construction, manufacturing, and technology, where environmental compliance and eco-labeling are critical for market access and competitive advantage. Understanding EPDs supports the integration of environmental considerations into software tools for LCA, supply chain management, or sustainability reporting platforms.