What Are Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)?
Why Environmental Product Declarations Matter for Contract Furniture
As sustainability becomes increasingly important within commercial interiors, architects, interior designers and procurement professionals are expected to make more informed decisions about the products they specify. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have become an important tool for providing independently verified environmental information, supporting more transparent and responsible furniture specification.
Rather than relying on broad sustainability claims, an EPD provides objective data about a product’s environmental performance. This allows specifiers to compare products using consistent, internationally recognised methodologies rather than marketing statements.
What is an Environmental Product Declaration?
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is an independently verified document that reports a product’s environmental impact throughout its life cycle. Based on a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), an EPD follows internationally recognised standards, helping ensure environmental information is transparent, consistent and comparable across similar products.
Unlike environmental claims or product labels, an EPD does not state that one product is automatically more sustainable than another. Instead, it provides independently verified environmental data that enables architects, designers and clients to make informed comparisons when specifying contract furniture.
How is an EPD Created?
The process begins with a detailed Life Cycle Assessment that evaluates the environmental impacts associated with every stage of a product’s life. This includes raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, installation, use, maintenance and end-of-life considerations such as recycling, recovery or disposal.
The completed assessment is then independently verified by an approved third party before the Environmental Product Declaration is published. Independent verification gives specifiers confidence that the environmental information has been assessed using recognised international standards rather than self-declared claims.
What Information Does an EPD Include?
Although Environmental Product Declarations are technical documents, they typically include information such as:
- Global Warming Potential (carbon footprint)
- Energy consumption
- Water use
- Raw material consumption
- Recycled material content
- Waste generation
- Air and water emissions
- End-of-life and recycling scenarios
Because every verified EPD follows the same reporting framework, products can be assessed on a like-for-like basis, making environmental comparisons far more meaningful during the specification process.
| Without an Environmental Product Declaration | With a Verified Environmental Product Declaration |
|---|---|
| Environmental information may be limited or difficult to compare. | Provides independently verified environmental data using recognised standards. |
| Specification decisions rely more heavily on manufacturer claims. | Supports objective, evidence-based product comparisons. |
| Environmental impacts can be harder to evaluate consistently. | Reports impacts across the product’s full life cycle using a consistent methodology. |
| Less supporting evidence for sustainability reporting. | Provides transparent data that supports broader sustainability objectives and green building assessments. |
Why Do EPDs Matter for Contract Furniture?
Commercial furniture is increasingly specified as part of wider sustainability strategies across workplaces, hospitality, education, healthcare and public sector projects. Clients are seeking greater transparency throughout the supply chain, while architects and designers need reliable environmental information to support responsible procurement.
Environmental Product Declarations provide that transparency. They offer independently verified environmental data that supports informed specification decisions while demonstrating a manufacturer’s commitment to openness, accountability and continuous environmental improvement.
Supporting Sustainable Building Projects
Verified environmental data is becoming increasingly valuable for projects pursuing recognised sustainability frameworks such as BREEAM and LEED. While an EPD does not automatically guarantee credits, it provides robust environmental evidence that can contribute to broader sustainability assessments and responsible material selection.
European Manufacturers Leading the Way
Many leading European contract furniture manufacturers are investing in Environmental Product Declarations as part of broader sustainability strategies, in response to growing demand for transparent environmental reporting.
Manufacturers, including Johanson Design and Sancal, have published independently verified EPDs for an increasing number of furniture collections, giving architects and designers greater confidence when comparing products and selecting furniture for commercial projects.
To learn more, read our articles on Johanson Design’s sustainability strategy and Sancal’s verified EPD programme, both of which demonstrate how leading European manufacturers are investing in greater environmental transparency.
Transparency Supports Better Specification
As sustainability expectations continue to evolve, EPDs are becoming an increasingly important resource for architects, interior designers and procurement professionals. Rather than replacing considerations such as quality, comfort or aesthetics, they provide an additional layer of independently verified environmental information that supports more informed specification decisions.
Choosing furniture supported by verified Environmental Product Declarations helps improve transparency throughout the specification process while supporting more sustainable commercial interiors.
Need Help Specifying Sustainable Contract Furniture?
At Contract Furniture Store, we work with leading European manufacturers that are investing in sustainability and independently verified Environmental Product Declarations.
For more sustainability insights, read our guide to The Case for Sustainable Contract Furniture, along with our articles on Johanson Design’s sustainability strategy and Sancal’s verified EPD programme, or contact our team to discuss your next commercial furniture project.