The overarching goal of this study is to answer questions related to the costs of implementing a Whole Life Carbon perspective in Germany. It is part of a series: another short study focuses on the  costs of the tools, qualification, and costs of conducting a LCA required for life cycle assessment, as well as  the cost to build if you need to comply with whole life carbon limit values.

The background study, jointly prepared by DGNB and BPIE, presents data and insights gathered through interviews with leading program operators and LCA service providers in Germany, a survey of German construction product manufacturers, and an evaluation of the German life cycle assessment database, ÖKOBAUDAT. The study also offers practical recommendations for policymakers and market participants in Germany. 

The results of the analysis from this background study can be summarized in the following key messages:   

• Customer demand for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in the building industry is primarily driven by the growing importance of building certifications. This trend is further reinforced by implementation of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which includes mandatory disclosure obligations. As a result, manufacturers are increasingly motivated to provide EPDs, and this demand is expected to grow. 

• Expertise and consulting services both for building LCAs and product LCAs have increased considerably in recent years. 

• The availability of EPDs for building materials has also risen sharply in recent years. 

• The increasing demand for EPDs has led to organisational challenges in preparation and testing processes, including prolonged waiting times for certification. 

• EPDs are no longer provided exclusively by large companies; smaller firms are also entering the field. 

• Investing in EPD tools is increasingly seen as worthwhile for those preparing multiple EPDs. Although these tools require significant upfront investments, they significantly reduce the cost of producing individual EPDs over time. 

• LCA data is now widely available for many conventional construction product categories, with availability expanding continuously. However, data for innovative products is persistently lacking. 

• LCA results are increasingly being used by manufacturers in environmental communication, often triggering internal product improvement processes. 

• The changing regulatory framework, including the revised Construction Product Regulation and EPBD, is driving a shift from voluntary to mandatory environmental product information. While many of the associated processes are familiar to manufacturers through CE labelling, companies must adapt to meet the new requirements. 

• The early adoption of LCAs for all new buildings, as seen in countries such as France or Denmark, in line with the EPBD, is expected to drive significant demand in the number of EPDs and, consequently, for LCA expertise among market stakeholders. 

The background information document, “Environmental Declarations for Construction Products: An Overview of Availability, Costs, and Trends,” was developed in collaboration with the DGNB (German Green Building Council).