Summary
Details
- Global
EN 15804 is primarily targeted at construction product manufacturers and EPD programme operators responsible for producing verified environmental data. It can be used by architects, engineers, developers, and procurement bodies who rely on standardized EPDs to compare materials and make informed sustainability decisions in building design and procurement.
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Overview
EN 15804 is a European standard that defines the core rules for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) of construction products. Developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), it establishes a harmonized methodology for assessing and reporting the environmental performance of building materials. The standard is based on life cycle assessment (LCA) and sets out a modular structure (A–D stages) covering the full life cycle of construction products, from raw material extraction to end-of-life. EN 15804 plays a central role in sustainable construction by ensuring that environmental data is transparent, consistent, and comparable across products, enabling informed material selection and supporting green building certifications.
Reporting Requirements
EN 15804 sets out detailed rules for producing Type III Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in the construction sector. Key requirements include:
Life cycle assessment (LCA): Environmental impacts must be calculated across defined life cycle stages (A1–D).
Standardized indicators: Mandatory reporting of environmental impact categories such as climate change, resource use, and acidification.
Functional and declared units: Products must be assessed using consistent reference units to ensure comparability.
Third-party verification: EPDs must be independently verified before publication.
Use of Product Category Rules (PCRs): Sector- or product-specific rules build on EN 15804 to provide additional detail.
The standard harmonizes how environmental data is structured and reported, ensuring that EPDs from different manufacturers can be directly compared.
Current status
EN 15804 is widely regarded as the leading global standard for EPDs in the construction sector and is extensively used across Europe and internationally. The current version, EN 15804+A2 (2019), introduced expanded environmental impact categories, updated methodological rules, and alignment with the EU’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) approach. Compliance with EN 15804 is increasingly required in public procurement, green building certification schemes (e.g., BREEAM and LEED), and other disclosure requirements.
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