EPDs: a tool to decarbonise your lighting

James Bennett, Professional Business, Market Leader, Signify UKI, explores what an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is, why it matters, and how EPDs can help businesses to align with sustainability goals and stakeholder expectations.

As the UK, like all global communities, grapples with the pressing challenges of environmental degradation and resource depletion, there is a growing imperative on manufacturers, government and consumers to understand and minimise the environmental impacts associated with the products they produce, regulate and consume. This pursuit of environmental sustainability has sparked a heightened demand for reliable and transparent information that can guide informed decision-making towards more environmentally conscious choices.

For stakeholders and customers of the UK lighting industry, the situation is no different. Manufacturers, designers, installers, specifiers – they are all looking for that holy grail of a single, understandable and reliable method to guide their decisions.

However, quantifying and comparing the multifaceted environmental footprints of products across various impact categories poses a formidable challenge. The intricate web of supply chains, manufacturing processes and disposal or reuse methods that underpin the lifecycle of a product makes it exceedingly difficult to accurately assess and compare the environmental implications of different products and their alternatives.

The need for assessing environmental impacts has indeed led to a proliferation of green labels, circularity scores and sustainability rating methods aimed at simplifying the comparison of products. However, reducing the complex matter of evaluating various environmental impacts to a one-dimensional, simplified rating system or a single logo is problematic and can be misleading.

Enter EPDs

As sustainability becomes an increasingly vital consideration in architectural and construction projects, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) serve as essential tools for navigating the myriad choices available. First, what is an EPD?

An EPD is a standardised document that provides comprehensive information about the environmental impact of a product throughout its lifecycle. This includes data on raw material extraction, production, usage and end-of-life disposal, ensuring that this is a source of information that is transparent, reliable and comparable across similar products. EPDs offer data on energy consumption, carbon emissions and resource usage.

By utilising EPDs, consultants and architects can make informed decisions that align with their sustainability objectives, ultimately contributing to greener and more eco-conscious designs.

EPDs are derived from Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), which consider all stages of the product lifecycle, including raw material extraction and transport, product manufacturing and delivery including installation, operation, disposal and recycling.

EPDs vs other regulations

As a stepping stone towards full EPDs, the UK’s Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) developed a Technical Memorandum in 2021: TM65/TM65.2 – Embodied carbon in building services: A calculation methodology, which basically is a narrowed-down EPD focusing on carbon footprint only. TM65/TM65.2 simplifies but builds on international ISO standards that have been developed by experts over the years. As such, it is a halfway step towards a practice where full EPDs are being created to demonstrate all environmental impacts of products throughout their lifecycle. By TM65, the UK lighting industry is being pointed towards more robust and complete calculation methods. It should also be noted that TM65 states that if a product EPD exists then the TM65 assessment does not need to be applied.

In 2021, CIBSE introduced TM66, that sets out what designing and manufacturing to comply with circular economy principles entails and includes a checklist, a method of assessing a product’s circular economy performance, and real-world examples of good practice. TM66 was created to address an immediate need that was emerging in the lighting industry. Manufacturers were seeking ways to make their products more sustainable, create circular designs, explore re-manufacturing and substantiate their green claims. Likewise, customers and specifiers were seeking independent evidence of claims made, and a simple scoring system to compare at least some of such product claims was more than welcome. The TM66-CEAM tool was useful for filling that gap.

EPDs, on the other hand, offer a comprehensive assessment across a product’s entire lifecycle, covering all environmental aspects, following standardised formats and undergoing independent verification. In some cases, a product might have both an EPD and a TM66 report, providing an even more in-depth look at its environmental impact.

Think of an EPD as a detailed environmental biography of a product, while TM66 is a specific chapter focusing on its end-of-life potential. Use an EPD for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment across any product category. Use TM66 for a quick assessment of a lighting product’s circularity characteristics, particularly embodied carbon (manufacturing emissions).

At Signify, we walk the talk

As lighting currently accounts for 12% of global electricity consumption and 5% of global CO₂ emissions, transitioning to energy-efficient LED lighting can significantly reduce global electricity consumption. EPDs quantify products’ environmental impact over their full lifecycle, enabling comparisons to comparable products and empowering customers to make informed decisions on lighting investments.

In addition to driving greater transparency for customers, EPDs are advancing evidence-based sustainable innovation within Signify, providing a quantified footprint which acts as a baseline for further improvements in next generation product iterations.

EPD certification is particularly relevant to several key stakeholders – specifiers, end users and environmentally-conscious consumers. For manufacturers, EPD certification is a proactive approach to environmental responsibility and compliance with international sustainability standards. For businesses and end users, especially those with sustainability goals, EPD-certified products are invaluable. Incorporating the EPD-certified products into their infrastructure allows these companies to align with their environmental objectives and meet regulatory requirements. EPD certification also provides the data needed to substantiate sustainability claims, making it easier for businesses to report on their environmental impact.

We recognise that, and so have already made available more than 2,000 EPDs, covering more than 70,000 product variations around the world. Due to customer demand, the Americas are currently served by the Declare labelling system. As the EPD programme continues, all products worldwide will ultimately receive EPDs. We have also committed to sharing the environmental impact of its full range of products.

Informed decisions and sustainability goals

By providing transparent and verified information about a product’s environmental impact, EPDs empower stakeholders to make informed decisions and contribute to global sustainability goals. Whether you are a manufacturer seeking certification or a designer selecting materials for a project, understanding the importance of EPDs ensures alignment with industry standards and a commitment to a sustainable future.

The time is now for the UK lighting industry to raise its ambition and embrace EPD methods tailored for the industry that will better stand the test of time.

Read our whitepaper, Assessing & substantiating environmental impacts with EPDs, on our website to see how Signify walks the talk.

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This article appeared in Electrotechnical News March/April 2026 edition – read it here