An environmental product declaration (EPD) is a standardized, third-party verified report that provides transparent and comparable information about the environmental impact of a product or system. It includes information on the raw materials used, the manufacturing process, transportation, and disposal.

EPDs can be used to calculate the embodied carbon of a building by collecting the EPDs for all the products and materials used in the construction, including concrete, steel, insulation, and lighting. The embodied carbon is the amount of carbon emissions associated with the production, transport, and installation of these materials. By summing up the carbon emissions from each EPD, the total embodied carbon of the building can be estimated. This information can be used to make informed decisions about material choices and to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings.

In cove.tool, you can quickly create a custom EPD when the product you want to use is not available from EC3. To create an EPD, you can follow the steps below.

Navigate to the second page in the embodied carbon feature, and then select the category you wish to add an EPD to.

Select the subcategory and material you wish to add an EPD to, and open the Project EPD Library panel.

Open the custom EPD pop up by click on the plus icon in the top right corner of the Project EPD Library panel

In the Create Custom EPD Popup, add the required fields outlined below. Optionally, add manufacturer details if available. Density and unit will be automatically populated based on the material selected.

Once your information is entered, click save!

Once saved, your EPD will appear in the Project EPD Library panel and in the relevant drop downs on the EPD Selection Page!

Happy Modeling!