Industry averages will no longer be permitted in the future, as they do not correctly reflect the actual performance of individual products. This makes data depth a decisive factor — from a technical, regulatory and economic point of view.
“The trend is clearly towards building life cycle analyses. This is another reason why reliable product data is increasingly becoming a real competitive factor.”
— Pascal Keppler, Data Services & LCA Team Leader
Manufacturers must therefore rely on manufacturer-specific environmental product declarations (EPDs) in order to provide reliable values for their declarations of performance. Anyone who cannot provide this data must report conservative worst-case values in case of doubt. A clear competitive disadvantage, particularly with regard to building certifications or funding programs.
At the same time, the EU Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR) is creating the digital product passport, which requires a structured, machine-readable provision of all relevant product information from 2028. PDFs are no longer enough; digital delivery capacity is becoming a basic requirement. Studies show that around 70% of manufacturers are currently not yet sufficiently prepared.
At the same time, the EU Green Deal further tightens the requirements: From 2028, life cycle analyses are mandatory for large new buildings, from 2030 for all new buildings. This makes CO₂ data a central lever for optimising buildings ecologically and economically. The more precise the product data, the better the control of the entire climate balance.
The pressure on industry to act is growing, not only due to regulations, but also due to increasing expectations in the market. Funding programs, financing models and quality certificates increasingly require reliable, digital and product-specific sustainability data. Companies that invest early on secure competitive advantages and avoid bottlenecks in consulting and implementation later on.
You can read the full article from THE WORKBENCH IT here.