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General Programme Instructions & FAQs

General Programme Instructions

The General Programme Instructions (GPIs) are published by the International EPD System and provide the rules guiding the overall administration and operation of our EPD Programme in accordance with ISO 14025.

The International EPD System GPIs include the requirements for Product Category Rules, Life Cycle Assessment methodology, verification, and the communication of EPDs.

An EPD Australasia Regional Annex set out specific requirements such as LCA methodology and content that apply to EPDs registered and published by EPD Australasia and the International EPD System.

2024-06-19 International EPD System GPIs – Version 5.0.0 Note: the requirements in this version of the GPI do not apply to EPDs until an aligned PCR is available.

2024-03-29 International EPD System GPIs – Version 4.0

2024-04-12 EPD Australasia Regional Annex – Version 4.2

For previous versions of GPIs and Regional Annex please contact the Secretariat.

EPD Australasia Technical Guidance

2024-02-13 Guidance on GWP-GHG alignment with IPCC AR5 – Version 1.0

2022-04-27 Guidance on Developing EPDs for Asphalt Mixtures – Version 1.2

2020-12-18 Guidance on the Revised Construction Products PCR – Version 1.0

This last guidance above is largely superseded however the recommendation for construction product EPDs developed until the end of 2026 also includes impact indicators compatible with EN15804+A1 still stands. This is to ensure compatibility with LCA tools such as the IS Materials Calculator.

2018-06-29 Background LCI Data – Version 2.0

Superseded or withdrawn EPD Australasia Technical Guidance

2023-03-10 withdrawn 2023-03 Guidance on EPDs of Similar Products – Version 1.0

2017-10-23 Guidance on the Use of INA in EPDs – Version 1.0

For previous versions of any Technical Guidance please contact the  Secretariat.

EPD Australasia FAQs

What filename should my EPD and results spreadsheet be?

For PDFs of EPDs and the results MS Excel spreadsheet submitted for publication, we strongly recommend the following filename format:

EPD-IES-<registration#>-<version#>_<EPDholdername>_<productname>_<YYYY-MM-DD> with the date matching the version date. Company and product names should be a maximum of 22 characters long.

For example:

EPD-IES-0012345-001_Acme-Cement_MGP25_2024-09-20.pdf

EPD-IES-0012345-001_Acme-Cement_MGP25_2024-09-20.xlsx

FAQ 04 published: 2024-09-20

Can an additional GWP100 indicator be included in an EPD to align with IPCC AR5 – GWP-GHG (IPCC AR5)?

  • GWP-GHG (IPCC AR5) can optionally be included in EPDs as additional information to facilitate comparison to existing EPDs that are published following PCR2019:14 v1.11 and to support alignment with Australian and New Zealand national greenhouse gas reporting frameworks.
  • When the GWP-GHG (IPCC AR5) indicator is included, it is also recommended to include the following text description of the indicator in the EPD:

“GWP-GHG (IPCC AR5) is an additional GWP100 indicator that is aligned with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2013 Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) (IPCC 2013), national greenhouse gas reporting frameworks in Australia and New Zealand and previous versions of the Construction Products PCR (PCR2019:14v1.11). It excludes biogenic carbon and indirect radiative forcing.”

FAQ 03 published: 2024-02-13

Who is the Programme Operator?

An EPD Programme Operator is defined in ISO 14025. Our Programme Operator is EPD International AB who operate The International EPD® System. The International EPD System is the ‘established EPD Programme’ per ECO Platform rules. EPD Australasia is a regional programme partner of The International EPD System.

When preparing EPDs for construction products for publication the text must reflect these relationships;

The information table must include both addresses;

  • Address of the programme operator: EPD International AB, Box 210 60, SE-100 31 Stockholm, Sweden, E: info@environdec.com
  • Address of the regional programme: EPD Australasia, 315a Hardy Street, Nelson 7010 New Zealand P: +64 9 889 2909 P: +61 2 8005 8206 E: info@epd-australasia.com

The cover page of all construction product EPDs registered with us must include the EPD Australasia logo, the International EPD System logo and the ECO Platform EPD verified logo.

FAQ 02 published: 2024-04-12, updated 2024-05-08

Can multiple sets of results for similar products be included in the same EPD?

Under our partnership with the International EPD® System, it is no longer possible to include several sets of results for multiple products in the same EPD for construction products. This change ensures all EPDs continue to be uploaded to the International EPD System EPD library, and the results to also be available via ECO Platform’s ECO Portal digital EPD database.

A construction product EPD can cover multiple similar products, but it can only include one set of environmental impact results. The reported results can be based on an average, representative product, or worst-case. If one of these options is used the EPD must state which on its cover page. Please see the latest Construction Product PCR for details.

For the benefit of EPD users EPD Australasia strongly encourages EPDs with product specific results rather than reporting on an average, representative product, or worst-case results for a group of similar products. Membership of EPD Australasia entitles you to register as many EPDs as you like at no additional cost so please fee free to request as many EPD registration numbers as you need.

As always please refer directly to the General Programme Instructions, the EPD Australasia Regional Annex and the relevant PCR to ensure your EPD complies at the time of publication programme rules to ensure your EPD complies. Please contact the Programme Manager here if you have any questions.

Read our statement here

Note 1: Construction Product PCR2019:14 version 1.3.4 section 5.4.5 continues to allow the inclusion of  indicators required by EN15804+A1 (EN 15804:2012+A1:2013). This ensures backward compatibility with the building and infrastructure sustainability ratings tools operating in our region.

Note 2: Construction Product PCR2019:14 version 1.3.4 now allows for the dual reporting of results following both market-based and location-based electricity modelling approaches (see section 4.8.1 Electricity modelling of the PCR). Dual reporting ensures comparability is maintained between EPDs following different modelling approaches.

Note 3: Construction Product PCR2019:14 version 1.3.4 continues to allow the inclusion of multiple sets of results that consider different end-of-life scenarios. Please refer to section 5.4.5 of the PCR.

Note 4: From 1 August 2023, all EPDs based on the Construction Product PCR2019:14 version 1.3.1, and subsequent versions, are required to be provided in both PDF form and the EPD results in MS Excel spreadsheet digital format.

FAQ 01 published: 2023-06-27, updated 2024-04-12, updated 2024-05-13

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