Green Star increases Responsible Product Values for product-specific EPDs

12th Dec 2025

Australasian EPDs now worth 7 RPV under the Responsible Products Framework

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has confirmed that product-specific Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) now score a higher Responsible Products Value under the Green Star Responsible Products Framework. This is welcome news for businesses with Australasian EPDs, as it recognises the trusted environmental data behind these declarations and strengthens the value they deliver for projects targeting a Green Star rating.

What’s changed?

Under the Responsible Products Framework, the Responsible Product Value (RPV) for product-specific EPDs (those published with EPD Australasia) has increased from 5 RPV to 7 RPV. Importantly, this correction is retrospective. Full details are available on the GBCA website.

The GBCA has now recognised that Australasian EPDs provide credible disclosure of multiple environmental impacts and carbon emissions. In practical terms, this means Australasian EPD owners now have more points available to contribute towards a project seeking a certified Green Star rating.

What does this mean for Australasian EPD owners?

Product-specific EPDs, on their own, now meet ‘Good Practice’ requirements under the Responsible Finishes and Responsible Systems credits in the Green Star Buildings v1 and v1.1 rating tools. They also partially meet the requirements for Responsible Envelope and Responsible Structure credits.

Our EPD Search Tool has been updated so that EPD owners and specifiers can easily locate and filter product-specific EPDs.

See Table 1 below for guidance on the credits that can be achieved with a product-specific EPD published by EPD Australasia.

Table 1: Responsible Product Values and percentages required for each Responsible Credit under Green Star Buildings v1 and v1.1

Sources: Green Star Buildings Submission Guidelines Version 1: Revision C 18 October 2023 and Green Star Buildings Submission Guidelines Version 1.1 21 October 2025

How do Australasian EPDs work with other sustainability initiatives?

For Responsible Structure and Responsible Envelope credits, Australasian product-specific EPDs can be combined with other certifications from GBCA recognised sustainability initiatives to meet Good Practice or Exceptional Performance requirements. GBCA provides a Responsible Products Score Checker to see how various certifications can contribute.

Australasian EPD owners are using a range of other certifications to help their clients meet these requirements. There are many initiatives aimed at specific sectors, including aluminium, concrete, steel, timber, and building materials sectors. For example:

• Aluminium Stewardship Council (ASC)
• ResponsibleSteel™
• FSC^® or Responsible Wood/PEFC chain-of-custody certification

There are also several cross-sector sustainability initiatives that are recognised, such as Type 1 eco-labels and Declare. Many of these initiatives incorporate EPDs as the basis for further certification.

Importantly, product-specific EPDs declare independently verified life cycle assessment (LCA) results for multiple environmental impact categories, including:

• Upfront embodied carbon (A1–A3, aligning with NABERS requirements)
• End-of-life impacts (C1–C4)
• Resource use, waste, and output flows

No other sustainability initiative recognised by GBCA provides the breadth of independently verified, science-based LCA-based environmental data provided in EPDs.

Note: There is no additional benefit within Green Star tools for exceeding the minimum Responsible Product Values. For example, if a project is seeking to achieve Exceptional Performance under the Responsible Structure credit, 15 RPV for a product is treated the same as 22 RPV by Green Star assessors.

Further information

Read our GBCA Recognition letter.