Learn more about the latest low-carbon materials-related news and updates in the construction industry
To help industry stakeholders reduce emissions and make informed choices, LCMH and MECLA have co-developed a Concrete Products Benchmark, tailored specifically to the Australian context.
LCMH has undertaken a supplier-level market assessment using currently available EPD data. This assessment provides a high-level overview of the Australian concrete supplier landscape, with a focus on GWP performance and the distribution of concrete products available from suppliers with EPDs.
To support more informed material choices and carbon target-setting, LCMH has integrated a comparative view of Australia’s most widely used reference benchmarking databases for concrete.
Australia’s building industry is undergoing a significant transformation as it moves towards low-carbon construction. While strong progress has been made in decarbonising locally produced materials such as concrete, steel, and timber, there remains a major blind spot in carbon planning: imported building materials. With Australia heavily reliant on global supply chains, addressing the carbon impact of these imports is becoming increasingly critical.
As carbon transparency becomes increasingly important in the construction and manufacturing sectors, two key tools have emerged for quantifying and disclosing the climate impacts of products: carbon footprint reports (CFRs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). While both report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, they are governed by different standards, follow distinct procedures, and serve different purposes. This article outlines the critical differences between these two approaches, focusing on their standards, verification, comparability, and alignment with Product Category Rules (PCRs).
Steel is a cornerstone of Australia's building, infrastructure, and manufacturing sectors. Despite the country's well-established steel industry, a gap persists between local production and total consumption, necessitating substantial imports. In 2023, Australia’s net import of steel products exceeded 1 million tonnes, accounting for approximately 15% of total consumption. While steel plays an essential role in modern construction, it is also a major contributor to embodied carbon in the built environment. This makes accurate carbon measurement of steel products—especially imported materials—a crucial aspect of sustainable construction practices in Australia. Without reliable data, project teams may struggle to assess and mitigate the environmental impact of their material choices.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have become an essential tool in the Australian construction industry, particularly within the concrete sector. As sustainability and carbon reduction efforts gain traction, EPDs provide a standardised way to assess and compare the environmental impact of different concrete products. This article explores the current state of concrete EPDs in Australia and New Zealand, including the number of registered EPDs, the leading suppliers, and their role in sustainable construction.
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardised document that provides transparent, verified information about the environmental impact of a product throughout its lifecycle. It is based on the principles of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and follows international standards such as ISO 14025 and EN 15804. In Australia, EPDs are increasingly important in the construction industry, helping architects, engineers, contractors, and developers select materials with lower environmental footprints, supporting sustainable building practices, and complying with regulatory requirements such as the National Construction Code (NCC) and Green Star rating system.
Embodied carbon makes up 16% of Australia’s built environment emissions, but this number could rise to 85% as operational energy efficiency improves, making its accurate measurement critical for achieving climate goals. Yet, there are key issues with the prevailing methods of calculating these emissions, which may undermine sustainable building practices and hinder the transition towards a decarbonised built environment.
At Low Carbon Materials Hub (LCMH), we believe that better access to material environmental data is key to driving real change in the built environment. That’s why we’re excited to launch LCMH Database Version 3—a major upgrade designed to empower industry professionals with the data they need, when they need them.
Explore our enhanced database with 5,000+ new EPDs, advanced benchmarking tools, and improved project management features for smarter, sustainable material sourcing.
Discover the key differences between ISO 21930 and EN 15804 EPD standards, and learn which one best suits your construction project's regional and certification needs.
Explore three key EPD standards shaping sustainable construction - from ILCD's European rigor to OpenEPD's accessibility and ISO 22057's BIM integration.