EPD vs HPD vs LCA: Which One Does Your Product Need for LEED?
A contractor sends you a product form. It asks for an EPD, an HPD and LCA data. Now you're stuck. Are these three different things? Do you need all of them? And which one helps the project earn LEED points? You're not alone. Most manufacturers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia ask the same question. So let's clear it up in plain words. The Short Answer An LCA is the study. An EPD is the public report built from that study. An HPD is a separate report about the chemicals inside your product. The LCA and EPD talk about the planet. The HPD talks about human health. Now let's look at each one. What Is an LCA? A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) measures the full impact of your product. It starts with raw materials. Then it covers factory work, transport, use and disposal. It follows ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. Think of the LCA as the engine. It does all the hard math. But buyers don't usually read the full LCA. They read what comes out of it. What Is an EPD? An Envi...