Environmental Product Declarations

Douglas-fir lumber

Environmental product declarations (EPDs) are based on a product’s Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) data.  They are designed to provide accurate, accessible and comparable information about the environmental impacts associated with a product or system, such as raw material acquisition, energy use and efficiency, materials content and chemical substances, emissions to air, soil and water, and waste generation. Much like nutritional food labels, EPDs are about transparent communication of environmental data, enabling product comparison and leaving judgment to the audience.

The Canadian wood products industry is taking a leadership role by adopting EPDs to advance environmental considerations and values in the building construction sector.

Environmental Product Declaration - Typical Western Red Cedar DeckingAn EPD of typical western red cedar decking from Western Red Cedar Lumber Association and FPInnovations.
Environmental Product Declaration - Typical Western Red Cedar Bevel SidingAn EPD of typical western red cedar bevel siding “½ x 6” clear grade, painted from Western Red Cedar Lumber Association and FPInnovations.
CEU: Environmental Product Declarations - Sponsored by Western Red Cedar Lumber Association This CEU discusses EPDs, which seek to provide relevant, verified and comparable information about the environmental impacts of goods and services. This course was approved by the USGBC for 1 GBCI CE hour(s) for LEED Credential Maintenance.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) Are Coming-Is Your Business Ready?A report from Dovetail that discusses EPDs and guidelines for their development and examines global and national developments that point toward greater use of EPDs within the near future.