Across Europe, the demand for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) is growing rapidly — and not just as a sustainability measure, but as a business requirement. At EPD Clarity, we’ve been seeing it more and more: manufacturers reaching out because they need an EPD simply to be able to submit a tender. Looking at our own data, 17% of our clients first contacted us because an EPD was required to even qualify for a project. In most cases, the request comes with an urgent timeline. But here’s the truth: an EPD can’t be produced overnight. It involves a detailed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), third-party verification, and official publication before it becomes valid. While we’ve helped many clients meet tight deadlines, the process is always smoother — and the results more valuable — when there’s time to prepare properly.
This trend isn’t limited to one region. Across Europe, EPDs are quickly becoming the ticket to entry for construction projects. In France, under the RE2020 regulation, EPDs are mandatory for nearly all building products. In Sweden and the Netherlands, public tenders often require EPDs outright or award additional points for having them. It’s clear that EPDs are no longer just “nice to have.” They are a standard expectation for participation in public and private projects alike. And the pressure isn’t only coming from regulators. Roughly 60% of our clients report that their own customers are now requesting EPDs — whether it’s architects, contractors, or developers working on projects targeting LEED, BREEAM, DGNB, or RE2020 certifications.
For many manufacturers, the first EPD project begins as a necessity — a client request or tender requirement. But once the EPD is published, most realise it does far more than tick a compliance box. Manufacturers who act early use their EPDs to:
Get specified in projects pursuing green building certifications
Strengthen relationships with architects and procurement teams
Stand out in public tenders and sustainable procurement systems
Understand their own data, uncovering hotspots for improvement
Demonstrate transparency and build credibility in their market
In short: an EPD doesn’t just meet a regulation — it builds a reputation. Several of our clients have shared that after publishing their EPD, they were included more often in project specifications and invited to bid on opportunities they would have otherwise missed. That’s because EPDs provide what specifiers, designers, and investors are looking for: credible, verified data.
Manufacturers who start their EPD journey early gain the most value from it. They can collect better data, explore strategies to reduce their environmental footprint, and position their products as leaders in sustainability. Those who wait until the last minute often find themselves rushing through a process that could otherwise deliver long-term business benefits. The shift is already happening. EPDs are becoming an essential tool for doing business in construction and manufacturing. They’re not just about compliance — they’re about competitiveness, credibility, and opportunity.
At EPD Clarity, we help manufacturers turn regulatory pressure into market opportunity. We provide a complete, guided service — from data collection and LCA modelling to verification and publication — ensuring every EPD is done right, efficiently, and ready to open new doors. Because in today’s market, an EPD isn’t just documentation. It’s your passport to projects, partnerships, and growth.
A Civil and Environmental Engineer. Her expertise lies in leveraging advanced data analysis techniques to conduct hot spot analysis and market research.