Data Quality Improvements
The Data Quality Improvement phase will improve the quality and consistency of product category rules (PCRs) and environmental product declarations (EPDs) in order to facilitate threshold setting for the EPA Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials. The label program leverages the federal government's power as the world's largest purchaser to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The label will help purchasers find and buy cleaner, more climate-friendly construction materials and products.
EPA needs representative, accurate, and verifiable data to set thresholds that determine which materials and products qualify for the label. The label program will build on EPA’s work to improve the quantity and quality of EPDs in the marketplace. EPDs provide quantified environmental impact data related to the life cycle stages of specific products or materials and will be used to set product type thresholds for the label program.
EPA will implement the program using a phased approach that all material categories will be able to follow at a cadence that aligns with the material’s market maturity and data availability. These phases are:
Phase I: Data Quality Improvement. Standardizing and improving the quality of data used to calculate the embodied carbon associated with construction materials and report this information to the market via environmental product declarations (EPDs).
Phase II: Threshold Setting. Determining thresholds that product types need to meet to be labeled under this program, based on robust EPDs and other credible and representative industry benchmarks and data.
Phase III: Labeling Materials and Products. Labeling construction materials and products that meet thresholds set by EPA.
EPA has begun to improve the data quality of life cycle assessments, PCRs and EPDs to ensure an effective label program and Buy Clean marketplace as outlined below.
Product Category Rule Criteria
PCRs are guidelines for developing EPDs. They improve EPDs by establishing consistent requirements for data quality and transparency and defining rules for how a manufacturer calculates and reports the embodied carbon associated with their construction materials in EPDs. For an EPD to be used in the label program, it must be developed using a PCR that meet EPA’s criteria.
On Aug. 7, 2024, EPA issued its Product Category Rule Criteria (pdf) . PCRs are required for the materials covered under the label program to ensure that the data provided on the embodied carbon of each material is credible and based on data sets that are consistently applied across the sector. EPA’s grant program will help build capacity in construction material sectors new to PCRs and environmental product declarations to compete in the growing Buy Clean/low carbon construction marketplace.
Learn more in EPA's Label Program Approach (pdf)
EPA published the Draft PCR Criteria in the Federal Register and accepted stakeholder input on the draft criteria through a 30-day public comment period. The document builds upon previous work in this area, including “Guidance for PCR Development,” International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 21930 and 14000 series standards and additional guidance provided by the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment. The PCR Criteria is also informed by input from various federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation, General Services Administration, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Department of Agriculture and others.
EPA’s Engagement in Developing or Updating PCRs
EPA and other federal agencies provide technical input into the development and/or update of various PCRs. EPA has participated in PCR committees to enhance the transparency, standardization and reporting criteria of EPDs. Much of the technical input provided by EPA in PCR update processes is reflected in the PCR Criteria.
Learn more about these efforts related to PCR standards and related initiatives.
Other Data Quality Improvement Activities
EPA is undertaking a series of efforts to improve data quality and consistency to enable purchasers to confidently rely on embodied carbon data provided by manufacturers, such as:
A Vision and Plan to Improve Secondary Life Cycle Assessment Data Used in Environmental Product Declarations A Vision and Plan to Improve Secondary Life Cycle Assessment Data Used in Environmental Product Declarations (pdf) outlines how EPA, in close collaboration with other federal agencies, will improve secondary life cycle inventory (LCI) data in the life cycle assessments that underlie EPDs.
Life Cycle Inventory Data Gap Assessment
The Life Cycle Inventory Data Gap Assessment (pdf) provides an overview of data gaps in free and publicly available secondary LCI datasets.
Data Quality Assessment Method to Support the Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials (Version 1)
The Data Quality Assessment Method to Support the Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials (Version 1) (pdf) outlines a methodology for systematically evaluating the quality of LCI data used in LCAs underlying PCRs and EPDs.
The Data Quality Assessment Method Template (Version 1) (xlsx) is available for use when applying the Data Quality Assessment Method.
Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) Methods and Other Impact (Non-LCIA) Methods
These datasets - Characterization Factors for Construction Material EPD Indicators (ISO21930-LCIA-US) v0.1 - contain characterization factors for key life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) categories to be used in LCAs underlying EPDs.
Additional Resources
- EPA’s Standards Executive supports Agency programs that use private sector standards, and program operators and others who participate in the development of private sector standards. EPA is also considering providing additional support to PCR developers, such as training, technical assistance, and an “on call” expert to work with program operators to draft procedures.
- EPA’s Framework for Assessment of Private Sector Standards and Ecolabels includes processes for managing a transparent and credible standards development process aligned with key international standards.
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