Mutual recognition of EPDs
The IBU is committed to the cross-programme and cross-border recognition of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in accordance with the EN 15804 standard. This is not only done within the framework of the European ECO Platform, but also through bilateral agreements with other programme operators. These recognitions make it easier for manufacturers to publish their EPDs in different countries without additional verification effort or the creation of new declarations.
These mutual recognitions enable EPD holders to have their EPDs, which have already been verified by the IBU, listed in other EPD programmes. By doing so, they save time and money, as the EPD does not have to be re-verified. However, when preparing the EPD, special requirements may have to be taken into account, especially in countries such as France, Italy, the Netherlands and the USA, which have additional national rules.
If you are planning to place your EPDs in international programmes with which the IBU has agreed mutual recognition, the IBU office provides support for the implementation. It is recommended that you decide whether you want to use mutual recognition as early as the life cycle assessment stage. This way, any additional calculations can be carried out at an early stage, saving time and money.
IBU has currently entered into the following mutual recognition agreements with EPD programmes:
On the recognition of EPDs from IBU:
EPDs from IBU are created in accordance with the European standard EN 15804 and are therefore generally recognised throughout Europe (and beyond).
Mutual recognition by different programme operators does not mean that the EPD can only be used in a particular country; rather, it means that an EPD published by IBU is also listed in the database of the respective other programme operator, thus increasing its visibility in the respective market.
For these listings, some programmes, such as the French and North American programmes, have additional requirements that are taken into account as part of the mutual recognition.
Mutual recognition with North America – Smart EPD
IBU (Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V.) and the North American EPD programme holder Smart EPD agreed to a mutual recognition and opening the way for building product manufacturers to bring their EPDs to the American market.
Smart EPD is a fully digital EPD programme that operates in the North American market. Through the mutual recognition of EPDs between IBU and Smart EPD, building product manufacturers will be able to gain new market access in the future by listing their EPDs as PDFs parallel with Smart EPD on the US market. In the next stage, the exchange of digital formats is also being considered. Mutual recognition of verified EPDs published by Smart EPD and IBU means that they are mutually accepted without further verification, even if the verification programmes are carried out independently.
IBU is the first EPD programme to achieve mutual recognition with this up-and-coming North American programme holder. We were able to achieve mutual recognition based on ISO 21930 and EN 15804 — an absolute milestone for international verification practice.
The differences between the standardized core PCRs (EN15804+A2 and ISO21930) have been worked out by both parties and can now be directly included and verified in the background report to be prepared for an EPD.
For IBU declaration holders:
- Mutual recognition applies to new EPDs to be verified.
- Some additional information is required in the EPD due to the differences between EN 15804 and ISO 21930, but this can be easily verified.
- If you plan to use this recognition, please contact the verification body in time to find out the additional requirements.
- The documents are currently only exchanged as PDF files.
- An order form (Declaration of Consent) for Smart EPD must be completed for commissioning.
- The cost is 540.00 $ and is payable to Smart EPD.
- Mutually recognized EPDs receive a new title page in the layout of the receiving program and an additional declaration number. In addition, the respective requirements of the other programme must be integrated.
- For the transfer of IBU EPDs to Smart EPDs, the requirements from ISO 21930 and the results table using the TRACI2.1 methodology must be integrated.
- This mutual recognition applies exclusively to product-specific EPDs, product-average EPDs, sector/industry-specific EPDs and sector/industry-average EPDs. EPDs created with a verified tool are also recognized, provided that the requirements are integrated at the same time.
- Mutual recognition is expressed by a joint publication of the EPDs (according to EN 15804+A2:2019 and ISO 21930) on the website of the respective scheme operator at the request of the declaration holder.
- Any EPD to be transferred must be in English.
- Information outside an EPD (e.g. annexes) is not part of the mutual recognition process.
Through mutual recognition, the partners agree to mutual conformity for both the EPDs and the PCRs. The so-called MonPan (Monitoring Panel) checks the calculation rules of IBU and Smart EPD once a year regarding dimensional changes.
Mutual Recognition with the United Kingdom
During the trade fair BAU 2017 in Munich, IBU has signed a new mutual recognition with BRE from the UK.
For BRE, Dr. Sharmir Ghumra, BRE Director of Sustainable Products, signed the mutual recognition. He said: “BRE is proud to have reached this milestone with IBU for the mutual recognition of EPD. As leading organisations for the provision of third-party-verified EPD to EN 15804 it is a significant step forwards for the proliferation of EPD. Industry can now have EPDs verified by BRE or IBU with the assurance that their EPD can be recognised in either the BRE or IBU listing service. We look forward to developing our relationship with IBU over the coming years. – Dr Shamir Ghumra, BRE Director of Sustainable Products.”
Mutual recognition with Italy
During the trade fair BAU 2017 in Munich, IBU has signed a new mutual recognition with the Italian EPD-Program EPD Italy
For EPDs from the IBU programme to be listed with EPD Italy, verified recycled content information is required in the EPD. This must be taken into account when the EPD is created!
EPD Italy was represented by the President of ICMQ, Prof. Enrico Dassori, Lorenzo Orsenigo (Direttore Generale) and Ugo Pannuti (Sustainability Advisor). “In order to encourage the harmonization, a manufacturer has to be able to provide its EPD in all rating schemes in Europe. This mutual recognition is a big advantage for Italian and German Manufacturers that want to declare the environmental characteristics of their products through the Environmental Product Declaration, in Europe.”, said Prof. Dassori.
Mutual Recognition with Spain
Mutual Recognition with Denmark
Signing the agreement of mutual recognition of EPD programmes with the Danish programme holder DTI (Danish Technological Institute) meant a highlight for IBU in the beginning of 2015 at the trade fair BAU.
Mutual Recognition with Norway
In the course of the Annual General Meeting of EPD Norge in June 2014 IBU’s Managing Director Dr. Burkhart Lehmann and EPD Norge’s Managing Director Dagfinn Malnes signed the contract for the mutual recognition of the two EPD-Programmes. With this declaration holders of EPDs verified by IBU can have their EPDs recognised in Norway by the Programme operator “The Norwegian EPD Foundation (EPD-Norge)” without having to undergo a further, comprehensive verification process.
Mutual Recognition with North America
Following the signing of a statement of intent in January 2013 at the world’s leading industry trade fair, BAU, the IBU negotiated mutual recognition of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) with the North American programme owner, UL Solutions. This recognition was instituted at the end of 2013.
Recognition in the North American market is especially important for members of the IBU, because the American building certification system, LEED, in its latest version (v4), for the first time awards credits to building projects that incorporate products that have an EPD.
The contractual agreement was preceded by nearly a year of negotiations. IBU’s technical expert, Dr Eva Schmincke, worked with Paul Firth from UL Solutions to establish the conditions of the collaboration. The two, both experts in life cycle assessments and sustainable building, agreed, among other things, upon a standardisation of the verification process, which would assure comparable quality of life cycle assessments, ensuring that they meet with the guidelines set forth in EN 15804.
Manufacturers who wish to have their IBU-EPDs incorporated by UL Solutions must provide additional documentation on the impact indicators from the life cycle assessments, on the basis of the TRACI factors that are commonly used in the USA. For existing EPDS, the life cycle assessment that has already been created may be used to obtain this additional information. For new EPDs, the evaluation needed for TRACI requirements should be integrated into the background report directly during the creation of the life cycle assessment.
“Our members now have a very easy way to present their EPDs on the American market”, explained IBU Managing Director Dr Burkhart Lehmann, in describing the advantages of this collaboration. “This not only saves money, but also increases the value of the IBU EPDs.” The IBU is particularly pleased that it was possible to enter into the agreement with UL Solutions on the basis of the standards set forth in EN 15804. “It cannot be taken for granted that an American organisation will agree to follow European standards”, continued Dr Lehmann, “but we were able to convince UL Solutions of the qualities that are inherent in the European concept of sustainability”.
Mutual Recognition with Sweden
IBU’s first international agreement was signed in 2013 at the BAU trade fair in Munich: a contractual agreement for mutual recognition was thereby established with the Swedish EPD programme “The International EPD®-System”. Owners of IBU declarations have since then had the opportunity, for a flat registration fee, to co-publish their EPDs on the Swedish EPD program website – www.environdec.com.
Mutual Recognition with France
Temporary suspension of mutual recognition with INIES
The mutual recognition implemented by IBU with the French program operator INIES for years referred to EN 15804+A1. A conversion of the rules to the current version EN 15804+A2 will be carried out in France in October 2022, but the new program rules have not yet been published. This results in the following situation for the transmission of EPDs published by IBU:
EPDs according to EN 15804+A1:
For these EPDs, the existing set of rules is still applicable until the end of September. Due to the limited availability of verifiers approved by the French program operator, timely publication of newly submitted projects cannot be guaranteed.
EPDs according to EN 15804+A2:
Verification is currently not possible for these EPDs due to the lack of specifications for the French program.
For these reasons, the office feels compelled to discontinue the previously granted support for the transfer of EPDs to INIES with immediate effect and for an indefinite period. Existing projects with promised verification are not affected.
The publication of the normative basis for France has been announced for mid-July, but it is unclear how long implementation by the program operator will take. We will inform you as soon as possible.
Declaration holders who are interested in having their EPDs recognized by INIES are advised to prepare a publication according to EN 15804+A2 in any case. According to the current status, an FDES must be created and its declaration made directly in the French program after verification by a verifier listed at INIES. Waiting times are to be expected.