Developing Belgian EPDs for the Belgian Construction Market

Belgian Environmental Product Declarations (B-EPDs) offer a robust, standardised way to develop EPDs that are specific to the Belgian market. The Belgian EPDs are based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and are aligned with both the European EN 15804+A2 standard and the B-EPD construction product category rules. Beyond compliance, B-EPDs also enable manufacturers to integrate their product data into Belgium’s official environmental assessment tool for buildings, the TOTEM tool.

A B-EPD is a third-party verified Environmental Product Declaration created under the Belgian national EPD programme. It describes the environmental impact of a construction product across its life cycle, following the EN 15804+A2 standard. Developed using detailed LCA studies, B-EPDs translate complex environmental data into a harmonised format that architects, engineers, and public authorities can use for informed decision-making.

The Belgian EPD programme ensures that all B-EPDs:

• Follow transparent procedures
• Align with European Product Category Rules (PCRs)
• Undergo independent third-party verification
• Are registered in a publicly accessible database

These declarations play a central role in demonstrating compliance with sustainable public procurement criteria and regional building standards.

The TOTEM tool (Tool to Optimise the Total Environmental impact of Materials) is Belgium’s official platform for evaluating the environmental performance of buildings. It uses both generic and product-specific environmental data to calculate the impacts of construction materials and assemblies.

B-EPDs can be submitted to the TOTEM system, allowing manufacturers to make their environmental data available to designers and assessors using the platform. This enables project stakeholders to:

• Include real product data in building impact assessments
• Move beyond generic assumptions to accurate, brand-specific comparisons
• Contribute to better decision-making in early design phases

For manufacturers, this represents a unique opportunity to position their products favourably in public and private construction projects where environmental performance is a selection criterion.

At Ecomatters, we guide manufacturers through the full B-EPD development process — from LCA modelling to registration and TOTEM submission. Our process includes:

1. Goal and scope definition: Tailoring the scope of the study to meet both the Belgian and European requirements.
2. Life cycle inventory (LCI) data collection: Gathering primary and secondary data on material and energy flows.
3. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA): Calculating the environmental impacts across the relevant stages.
4. EPD report drafting: Compiling the results in an EN 15804-compliant format.
5. Third-party review: Supporting our clients through the verification process with an approved reviewer.
6. Registration: Submitting the verified EPD to the Belgian EPD programme and optionally to the TOTEM platform.

Whether you’re looking for support in the development of Belgian EPDs or still orienting on the different possibilities for EPD development, Ecomatters is here to help. Our team combines technical expertise with knowledge of regulatory frameworks to help our clients with the entire EPD development process.

Get in touch with us to explore how we can support your environmental product declarations and sustainability goals in Belgium and beyond.