Feature Short

Apples to Pineapples: Four Reasons You Can’t Compare EPDs

We’d love to use transparency tools to compare products “apples-to-apples.” But we’ve got a long way to go.

One big reason for environmental product declarations (EPDs) is to allow people to compare one product to another: if you put five cladding EPDs side by side, you should theoretically be able to choose the cladding product with the smallest footprint.

Yet experts warn—strongly—against comparing EPDs to one another. Where’s the disconnect?

This article is BuildingGreen Premium content

Two ways to read the full article and get CEUs:

Sign up for BuildingGreen Premium to access all our premium content

Join for just /month »

Purchase this article to get online access and a printable PDF.

Buy it now for  »

Already a premium member? Log in now

To read the full article, subscribe now to BuildingGreen Premium

For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium

LEEDuser tip sheets, written by our team of LEED experts, fill gaps in knowledge we’ve observed between the LEED Reference Guide, LEED Online, and LEED Interpretations. We update them regularly so that our members get the most relevant guidance for current issues on their projects.

( does not provide premium access to BuildingGreen)

Go premium for just  » Go premium for just  » Firm or campus members – click here »

Your 15-day free trial expired on

Already a premium member? Log in now

Published August 3, 2015

Melton, P. (2015, August 3). Apples to Pineapples: Four Reasons You Can’t Compare EPDs. Retrieved from https://www.buildinggreen.com/feature-shorts/apples-pineapples-four-reasons-you-can-t-compare-epds