Built environment certification body BRE Global and UL Environment, a research and standards body that supports businesses and manufacturers to be more sustainable, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will see the partners work towards jointly recognising each other’s Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).

EPD are a standardised way of independently measuring the environmental impact of a product or system over its lifetime and are used to help manufacturers target impact reductions throughout their supply chain.

Manufacturers who develop a life cycle assessment for a product using core aspects of European standard EN 15804 and an agreed Product Category Rule (PCR) can then undergo an independent and globally recognised EPD certification by either BRE Global or UL Environment. The benefits are increased market visibility, and the ability to qualify for green building system credits worldwide like BRE’s international sustainability standard BREEAM and US-based standard LEED.

Director of BRE’s Centre for Sustainable Products, David Richardson, said: “This collaboration is an important development for the UK and US based construction sectors. As well as working together for the benefit of manufacturers we will encourage other similar providers to follow suit and adopt a unified approach to global recognition of a product’s life time environmental credentials.”

Vice president and general manager of UL Environment, Lisa Meier, said: “As the demand for product transparency grows, we are always seeking to enhance comparability of products and simplify purchasing and specification decisions. Mutual recognition EPD accomplish this, while also making it easier for manufacturers to go to market globally.”