The construction industry is undergoing its most significant environmental transformation in decades. By 2030, embodied carbon will account for the majority of a building’s lifetime emissions. For manufacturers, this shift represents both an unprecedented challenge and a defining opportunity – and one where environmental product declarations (EPDs) can play a key role. Will Hunnam, Managing Director of Forza Doors, explains more.
Specifiers are drowning in sustainability claims. Every manufacturer promises ‘green’ credentials, yet few can prove them with verified data. This credibility gap isn’t just frustrating procurement teams – it’s slowing the industry’s transition to net zero. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) offer a solution.
Key takeaways
- Environmental product declarations (EPDs) account for approximately 80% of current certifications
- Carbon targets are becoming tougher, and responsibility is stretching further across the supply chain
- The construction industry has demonstrated what’s possible with EPDs
- Publishing an EPD reflects a deep understanding of end-to-end manufacturing processes
FAQs
- How can environmental product declarations (EPDs) benefit manufacturers?
- How can businesses adopt EPDs?
- How do you secure deeper supplier collaboration?
- How can manufacturers meet the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)?
For specifiers, efficiently identifying and selecting low carbon products is critical. On complex projects involving thousands of components from a wide mix of manufacturers, embodied carbon quickly builds up. This is where EPDs have become an essential tool, integrating seamlessly into existing workflows and delivering verified carbon data when it’s needed most.
While construction has led EPD adoption – accounting for approximately 80% of current certifications – it is now time for manufacturing more broadly to embrace this standard. What was once best practice is quickly becoming business as usual.
A strategic opportunity for manufacturers
Carbon accounting is going deeper. Targets are becoming tougher, and responsibility is stretching further across the supply chain. For manufacturers, that means the spotlight is now not only on operations, but also on the carbon impact of products. EPDs provide an opportunity to meet these industry demands.
The commercial advantages become clear when manufacturers fully commit to this approach. As the UK’s first timber door manufacturer to publish verified EPDs across its doors and frames range, Forza Doors has witnessed first-hand how widespread adoption unlocks value commercially, competitively and culturally.
The future of manufacturing lies in alignment around shared values, with businesses moving beyond pledges towards tangible action. Construction has demonstrated what’s possible and will no doubt drive continued adoption of EPDs across the wider industry.
Strengthening the supply chain through data
Publishing an EPD doesn’t just tick a specification box – it reflects a deep understanding of your end-to-end manufacturing processes. The data collection process demands close supplier collaboration to secure engagement and align with broader net zero objectives. This creates a more transparent, collaborative supply chain founded on trust and shared goals.
Once the data is captured, independent verification delivers additional value. This process builds internal capability for managing sustainability data while preparing teams for emerging compliance requirements. With legislation like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) already in force, this represents a strategic imperative rather than merely good practice.
Developing our own EPDs provided essential insight into our operations. Understanding each door component’s carbon footprint revealed opportunities for improvement across our manufacturing processes. For any manufacturer serious about carbon reduction, this foundation is essential: you can’t reduce what you haven’t measured.
As EPD adoption advances, consistency becomes critical. To empower specifiers and procurement teams effectively, the data must be standardised and comparable both within our industry and across verticals.
A call to industry
This transformation requires decisive action from manufacturers across all sectors. EPDs represent the intersection of environmental responsibility and commercial strategy. They transform sustainability from a cost centre into a competitive differentiator, giving manufacturers the verified data needed to win in an increasingly carbon-conscious market.
Early adopters aren’t just meeting today’s requirements – they’re defining the standards that will shape tomorrow’s market leaders.
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