LCA & EPD Development
Phase 2 of the GreenTag EPD pipeline transforms your product data into a rigorous Life Cycle Assessment and a standards-compliant Environmental Product Declaration. Two parallel workstreams converge into a single verified deliverable.
What This Phase Covers
After PCR selection (Phase 1), your product enters the LCA & EPD Development phase — the analytical core of the EPD process. The LCA study is conducted by either your in-house team or a qualified third-party LCA consultant, with GreenTag coordinating the process end-to-end and translating the results into a standards-compliant EPD document.
This phase runs two concurrent workstreams: the LCA Study quantifies environmental impacts across all relevant life-cycle stages, while the EPD Drafting workstream structures those results into the standardised declaration format required by EN 15804 and the applicable Product Category Rules.
LCA Methodology Reference
For the LCA methodology framework (ISO 14040 / 14044), the four LCA phases, and EN 15804 life-cycle module definitions, see our dedicated Life Cycle Assessment page
Where This Phase Fits
PCR Development
Define the rules and scope for your product category.
LCA & EPD Development
Model your product's environmental footprint and draft the EPD.
Verification
Independent third-party review of LCA data and the EPD document.
Publication
Register and publish on the GreenTag EPD website.
With a valid PCR in place, your organisation moves into the core technical phase: conducting the life cycle assessment and drafting the Environmental Product Declaration.
Two Parallel Workstreams, One Deliverable
The LCA Study and EPD Drafting run concurrently, with the LCA results feeding directly into the EPD document as they become available.
Track 1: LCA Study
6–8 weeks · Conducted by your team or a qualified third-party
Define the functional or declared unit, system boundaries, cut-off rules, and impact categories as specified by the applicable PCR. Establish the reference service life where applicable.
Gather foreground data directly from the manufacturer (energy, materials, water, waste) and source background data from recognised LCI databases such as ecoinvent, AusLCI, or GaBi.
Compile all material and energy flows across the declared life-cycle modules: A1–A3, A4–A5, B1–B7, C1–C4, and Module D.
Calculate core environmental indicators: GWP, ODP, AP, EP, POCP, ADP, and WDP per EN 15804+A2.
Perform sensitivity analysis, assess data quality against EN 15804, identify hotspots, and draw conclusions for the EPD.
Track 2: EPD Drafting
2–3 weeks typical duration
Select the GreenTag EPD template (optional) or a custom layout compliant with EN 15804+A2 and ISO 14025 formatting requirements.
Document technical specs, composition, functional/declared unit, intended application, manufacturing site, and reference service life.
Transfer LCIA indicators, resource use, waste categories, and output flows into EPD tables per EN 15804+A2 format.
Add end-of-life scenarios, RSL assumptions, content declarations, biogenic carbon accounting, and PCR-required environmental info.
Cross-check PCR compliance, verify accuracy against the LCA model, and prepare the draft EPD package for external verification.
Both tracks merge into a complete EPD package submitted for independent third-party verification (Phase 3).
What Data Do We Need From You?
Accurate data is the foundation of a credible LCA. The data collection process is a collaborative effort between the manufacturer and GreenTag's LCA team.
Foreground Data
Your facility — provided by manufacturer
- 1Raw materials — inputs and quantities
- 2Energy use — electricity, gas, fuel, renewables
- 3Water use in manufacturing
- 4Process flows and yields
- 5Inbound transport — distances and modes
- 6Waste streams and recycling rates
- 7Product composition and packaging
Background Data
LCI databases — sourced by GreenTag
- 1Raw material extraction impacts
- 2Energy grid mixes — regional factors
- 3Transport emission factors by mode
- 4End-of-life treatment impacts
- 5Upstream supply chain data
Sources: ecoinvent, AusLCI, GaBi, and other ILCD-compliant datasets.
Data Validity Requirements
Producer-specific (foreground) data must be valid within 5 years of the data collection date. Generic (background) data must be valid within 10 years. All data must comply with EN 15804+A2 quality requirements and ILCD format specifications to ensure the resulting EPD meets ECO Platform recognition standards.
EN 15804 Life-Cycle Modules Covered
Full scope is cradle-to-grave (modules A1–D). A cradle-to-gate study (A1–A3 only) is permitted where the applicable PCR allows. At minimum, modules A1–A3 (Product Stage), C (End of Life), and D (Benefits Beyond) must be declared.
Standards & Data Quality
Every LCA study and EPD produced under the GreenTag program adheres to internationally recognised standards and quality frameworks.
ISO 14040/14044 Compliance
The LCA study follows the international standards for Life Cycle Assessment methodology, covering goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. All studies are conducted to a level suitable for third-party critical review.
EN 15804+A2 Alignment
EPD reporting follows the European core product category rules for construction products, including the A2 amendment requiring additional impact categories (GWP-fossil, GWP-biogenic, GWP-luluc), particulate matter, and land use indicators.
LCARate Certification
LCAs conducted under GreenTag's LCARate program are independently third-party verified and peer reviewed, and their data format meets ECO Platform requirements for cross-program recognition by other programme operators internationally.
EPD Validity & Ongoing Compliance
Once published, an EPD must remain current and accurate throughout its validity period. GreenTag provides ongoing support to ensure continued compliance.
Validity Period
Maximum 5 years from publication, with the exact ceiling set by the applicable PCR. After expiry the EPD must be revised and reissued, and expired EPDs are withdrawn from the register.
Change Threshold
A ±10% change in any declared parameter triggers mandatory recalculation. Process changes, material substitutions, or energy-mix shifts may apply — the recalculated EPD must be re-verified before reissue.
Annual Maintenance
GreenTag contacts the EPD owner each year to request a signed declaration that no material changes have occurred to the product or its manufacturing process. Non-response prompts follow-up review.
Begin Your LCA & EPD
Development
GreenTag coordinates the process end-to-end and connects you with qualified LCA practitioners — from data collection through impact modelling to a verified, internationally recognised Environmental Product Declaration.
Complete LCA Study
ISO 14040/14044-compliant analysis across all life-cycle modules.
Verified EPD Document
Standards-compliant declaration drafted per EN 15804 and your PCR.
ECO Platform Listing
Published in machine-readable format with international recognition.