Product assessments: LCA, EPD, and PCF/CFP
More and more companies are facing the challenge of transparently recording and reducing the climate-relevant emissions and environmental impact of their products throughout their entire life cycle. Methods such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental Product Declarations (e.g., EPD), Product Carbon Footprint (PCF/CFP), and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) provide reliable data and form the basis for climate-neutral product strategies and credible environmental and sustainability communication.
Kiwa focuses on the following products:
- Construction products in accordance with EN 15804 / ISO 21930
- Products from the “farm, feed, food” sector
- Electrical and electronic products and systems (EEPS) in accordance with EN 50693
👉 With Kiwa Ecobility Expert, companies gain a competent partner for calculating, validating, and verifying product-specific environmental impacts, as well as communicating them transparently; a decisive step toward credible sustainability and strengthening market position.
Growing requirements
Customers, business partners, and regulatory institutions are increasingly demanding evidence of the environmental impact of products; whether they are consumer goods, industrial products, or construction products. The EU Commission and international standards are driving forward the obligation to disclose product-specific emissions and environmental impacts. Companies that ensure this transparency gain a decisive competitive advantage and strengthen their market position through trustworthy and verifiable environmental information.
Established methods for assessing the environmental impact of products
At the product level, there are established methods for assessing the environmental impact of products. Examples include life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental declarations (e.g., EPDs), product carbon footprint (PCF), and product environmental footprint (PEF). These methods are regulated by international and European standards and provide valuable, verifiable data on a company's overall environmental performance. They form the basis for sound strategic decision-making and are therefore a key building block for the transition to a climate-neutral and sustainable economy.
Benefits for companies/organizations
The product-related methods create a high level of transparency and provide a basis for decision-making in order to:
- improve the carbon footprint of individual products,
- reveal potential for ecological optimization along the supply chain,
- meet regulatory requirements (e.g., EU Green Deal, CSRD/ESRS, EU taxonomy),
- communicate credible and comparable sustainability information in environmental product declarations (EPDs) or labels,
- and thus secure long-term market opportunities through sustainable product strategies.
Life cycle assessment / Life cycle analysis (LCA)
LCA is a comprehensive method for assessing the overall environmental impact of a product and complies with ISO standards 14040/44. LCA considers the environmental impact throughout the entire life cycle. From raw material extraction to the end-of-life phase, it provides a well-founded analysis and supports the development of resource-efficient, sustainable product strategies.
Life cycle assessment (LCA) / life cycle analysis
LCA forms the methodological basis for environmental declarations (e.g., EPD, PCF, and PEF).
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
An environmental product declaration (e.g., EPD) is a standardized, transparent tool for communicating the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle. It is usually based on a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) in accordance with ISO 14040/44 and meets the requirements of ISO 14025. It is based on product category rules (construction products: EN 15804 / electrical and electronic products and systems; EN 50693).
The EPD makes environmental impacts measurable and comparable – from raw material extraction to production and use to disposal and recycling. It provides reliable data for:
- sustainability reporting in accordance with international standards,
- participation in tenders, especially in the construction industry,
- compliance with regulatory requirements within the framework of EU taxonomy and the Green Deal,
- as well as credible communication of ecological product benefits to customers and business partners.
As a validated/verified declaration, the environmental declaration builds trust, strengthens market position, and supports companies in developing sustainable product strategies.
How can an environmental declaration be created and validated/verified?
Environmental declarations are usually created using so-called life cycle assessment software and databases.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)
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The environmental information programs for creating environmental product declarations are independent of life cycle assessment software. Various life cycle assessment software programs can be used to calculate environmental declarations. It is essential that the background databases used meet the requirements of ISO 14025. The data determined using life cycle assessment software must also comply with the requirements of ISO 14025 and the product category rules applied. The procedure and basis for the calculation must be documented in a project report for validation/verification in a comprehensible manner and made available. As part of the validation/verification process, the environmental declaration and the project report are reviewed in accordance with the requirements of Kiwa Ecobility Expert.
Product Carbon Footprint (PCF / CFP)
The PCF represents the greenhouse gas emissions of a product throughout its entire life cycle from raw material extraction to production, transport, and use, right through to recycling or disposal. It is calculated in accordance with ISO 14067 and the GHG Protocol and takes into account all relevant emission sources across the three scopes. It provides the basis for assessing the climate impact of products and serves as a strategic tool for developing climate-neutral products.
Since an EPD also contains information on CO2 equivalent emissions in the form of global warming potential, it can also be used for the CO2 footprint of the product or CCF / CFP (Carbon Footprint of Products).
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Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)
The PEF follows the guidelines of the European Commission and offers a harmonized, scientifically sound approach to the holistic environmental assessment of products. It enables comparability within product groups and is therefore an important building block for Europe-wide recognized environmental labels. It assesses the environmental impact of products holistically, beyond COâ‚‚ emissions. It takes into account other categories such as resource consumption, acidification, eutrophication, and water scarcity.
These methods enable companies to identify hotspots along the value chain and take targeted measures to reduce emissions and environmental impact.