Increased availability of machine-readable EPDs in the ILCD+EPD+ format

As part of a Smart Built Environment (SBE) project, ways to increase availability of machine-readable Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) through an open-source software tool, called EPD Editor, by using the ILCD+EPD+ structure were analysed. The aim of providing independent verified EPD information in a machine-readable format is to facilitate the seamless flow of information between different actors downstream in the value chain. A prerequisite for this is to use a format and structure that enables data exchange through application programming interface (API).

In this project, a defined data format (xml) and structure (ILCD+EPD) is used as the base for the EPD exchange format. The structure has been extended through work in a previous Smart Built Environment project to include a possible classification of the quality of the background LCA (Q metadata). This project focussed on the integration of this format and structure into the free open-source tool EPD Editor to facilitate transfer of EPD information in the machine-readable format. 17 EPDs were transferred into the machine-readable format including Q metadata. In addition, ways to create and export machine-readable EPD files directly from existing commercial LCA software were analysed.