Understanding EPD Standards: ISO 21930 vs EN 15804

What Is an EPD?

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardized document that quantifies the environmental impacts of a product throughout its life cycle. It’s based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and verified by a third party. An EPD typically includes data such as:

Global warming potential
Energy use
Water consumption
Waste generation
Other impact categories (e.g., acidification, eutrophication)

EPDs are increasingly required by sustainability certification and rating systems (such as LEED, BREEAM, DGNB, BIFMA LEVEL), public procurement policies, and sustainability-minded clients. EPDs support transparency, comparability, and informed decision-making about building materials and systems.

‍

Who Needs to Comply—and Why?

Stakeholders that may need to comply with EPD standards:

Manufacturers in construction and other industrial sectors (e.g., building materials, steel, concrete, insulation, glass, furniture, packaging, and related products)
Designers, architects, and engineers looking to reduce environmental impacts of buildings
Construction companies and contractors working on certified green buildings
Government procurement officers evaluating materials based on sustainability criteria
EPD program operators and LCA practitioners responsible for developing and verifying EPDs

Why compliance is necessary:

Market access: Many governments and private clients require EPDs in tenders or certifications.
Green building certification: Credits in systems like LEED v4/v4.1, BREEAM, DGNB, and BIFMA LEVEL may require third-party verified EPDs.
Regulatory compliance: The EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR) increasingly points to EPDs as part of sustainability declarations.
Reputation and transparency: EPDs demonstrate environmental responsibility, supporting ESG and corporate sustainability goals.

ISO 21930 and EN 15804

ISO 21930 and EN 15804 are closely aligned standards for developing consistent, credible Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for construction products and services. In fact, they share the same core modules and have evolved in parallel—often borrowing from one another to maintain compatibility. The differences are subtle but can still affect compliance. For example, EN 15804 makes Module D (benefits and loads beyond the system boundary) mandatory, whereas ISO 21930 treats it as optional. Understanding these small variations is important for organizations working across multiple markets.

ISO 21930: The International Standard

ISO 21930 is an international standard for developing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works. The focus of this standard is for construction products and services.

EN 15804: The European Standard

EN 15804 is also a standard that focuses on EPDs for construction products and services. However, it is a European Standard rather than an international standard. The most recent (and second) revision, EN 15804+A2, includes several changes:

Does not align with ISO 21930 and can become problematic for exporters
Includes 19 environmental impact categories
Requires an end-of-life scenario
Requires a compliant PCR
Data must be in ILCD format

ISO 21930 vs EN 15804

Aspect	ISO 21930	EN 15804
Origin	Developed by ISO (International Organization for Standardization)	Developed by CEN (European Committee for Standardization)
Scope	Global applicability	European focus (mandatory under EU regulations)
Title	Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works — Environmental declaration of building products	Sustainability of construction works — Environmental product declarations — Core rules for the product category of construction products
Use Case	Reference standard for international EPDs (North America, Asia, global programs)	Mandatory baseline for European EPDs (used in EU member states)
Relationship	Aligned with EN 15804 (uses modular approach, similar indicators) but more flexible for global contexts	More prescriptive, ensuring strict comparability across European EPDs
Modular Structure	Adopts modular LCA structure (A1–A3, A4–A5, B1–B7, C1–C4, D) with some flexibility	Defines full modular structure in detail (mandatory reporting in specific cases)
Impact Categories	Requires core set of indicators (GWP, ODP, AP, EP, POCP, ADP, etc.), aligned with EN 15804 A2; allows regional variations	Defines fixed set of impact indicators (per A1, updated in A2 to include GWP fossil, biogenic, land use change, particulate matter, ionizing radiation, water use, land use impacts, etc.)
Data & Allocation Rules	Flexible to accommodate regional differences in data availability	Very strict rules on cut-off, data quality, and allocation to ensure comparability
Program Operator Requirements	Can be used by EPD programs globally (e.g., UL Environment in North America)	Required basis for all European EPD programs (e.g., IBU in Germany, INIES in France)
Regulatory Context	Voluntary, but often adopted outside Europe	Mandatory under EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR)
Latest Version	ISO 21930:2017	EN 15804:2012+A1, updated with A2 amendment (2019)

ISO 21930 and EN 15804 Indicators

Impact Category	ISO 21930:2017 (Mandatory)	EN 15804+A2 (Mandatory Core)	EN 15804+A2 (Optional)
Climate Change / GWP	GWP (single value)	GWP-total, GWP-fossil, GWP-biogenic, GWP-LULUC	—
Ozone Depletion	ODP	ODP	—
Acidification	AP	AP	—
Eutrophication	EP	EP-freshwater, EP-marine, EP-terrestrial	—
Photochemical Ozone Formation	POCP	POCP	—
Abiotic Resource Depletion	—	ADP-minerals & metals, ADP-fossil fuels	—
Water Use	—	WDP	—
Other Environmental Indicators	—	—	PM, IRP, ETP-fw, HTP-c, HTP-nc, SQP

Implications for Manufacturers and LCA Practitioners

If you're a manufacturer selling into both European and global markets, it's important to consider the following:

Dual EPD Strategy: Many companies now prepare two sets of EPDs: one to comply with EN 15804+A2 for Europe, and another based on ISO 21930 for international markets.

Software Compatibility: EN 15804-compliant EPDs require modeling in LCA software that supports ILCD format, such as GaBi or SimaPro, which may not be used globally.

Verification Complexity: European EPDs often require stricter third-party verification and must be published in recognized databases. This is managed by an EPD Program Operator—the body that verifies, ensures compliance, and publishes the EPD. Choosing an operator suited to your region, market, and product category is critical for compliance and market acceptance.

‍

Navigating the EPD Landscape

As the demand for transparent, science-based environmental reporting grows in construction, understanding the difference between ISO 21930 and EN 15804 is essential for anyone involved in material manufacturing, building design, or sustainability compliance. For global businesses, this means navigating complex rules across multiple markets.

Preparing multiple EPDs under varying regulations is both time-consuming and expensive, often requiring substantial consultant involvement with the number of indicators required to report on. This complexity makes AI-driven solutions especially valuable—cutting preparation time, lowering costs, and simplifying compliance. Companies that adopt these tools not only save resources but also strengthen their position as leaders in sustainability, regulatory alignment, and innovation in green construction.

‍

Next Steps: Meeting EPD Compliance with CarbonBright

CarbonBright’s AI-powered LCA software helps organizations accurately measure emissions at the product level and comply with ISO and EN standards—at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional methods. Contact us to get started!

‍