EPD International · IBU · EPD Norge —
which programme operator do you choose?
Which market each programme covers, how their product category rules (PCR) compare, what they actually require at verification, and how far mutual recognition really reaches.
Short answer: The three major EPD programme operators for the European market are EPD International (Sweden, the oldest, global coverage, any product category), IBU (Germany, specialised in construction materials, the densest mutual-recognition network in Europe) and EPD Norge (Norway, effectively mandatory for the Norwegian market, a founding member of ECO Platform). All three publish EPDs compliant with EN 15804+A2 and ISO 14025, with mandatory third-party verification and a standard five-year validity — the real difference lies in the target market, the verification structure and the mutual-recognition network, not in methodological rigour.
EPD programme operator comparator
EPD International, IBU and EPD Norge compared across 10 criteria — market coverage, PCR library, verification structure and the mutual-recognition network. Plus four questions that settle the choice.
If you are weighing up where to publish an EPD and have not yet decided, this guide compares the three programmes on the criteria that matter in practice: who requires what, where the document is recognised, and how quickly you get from the LCA study to publication.
For the technical steps from LCA to EPD, see our LCA-to-EPD process guide; for the conceptual difference between LCA, EPD and CFP, see the baseline comparison guide.
What an “EPD programme operator” is
A programme operator is the organisation that administers the rules an EPD must follow within a given system: it publishes the general rules (General Programme Instructions), maintains the library of product category rules (PCR), accredits or approves the verifiers, and hosts the public registry where the final declaration appears.
The underlying standards — ISO 14025, ISO 14040/14044, EN 15804+A2 — are the same whichever programme you choose. What differs is who administers the process and where the document is “at home”.
Quick comparison, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | 🌍 EPD International | 🇩🇪 IBU | 🇳🇴 EPD Norge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country / head office | Sweden (Stockholm) | Germany (Berlin) | Norway (Oslo) |
| Founded / origin | 1998 — the world's first EPD system | An association of German construction product manufacturers | 2002, as a foundation |
| Primary market | Global — including the USA and Canada through its licensee EPD North America | Europe, with an emphasis on the German and Central European markets | Norway — effectively mandatory for public tenders and local BREEAM-NOR |
| Product categories | All categories — construction, electronics, food, textiles and more | Predominantly construction materials and related products | Predominantly construction, aligned with the Norwegian market |
| PCR library | The most extensive — PCR 2019:14 for construction is the most widely used PCR in the system, with dozens of c-PCRs | Its own PCR, structured as Part A (calculation rules) + Part B (category-specific requirements) | Its own PCR (NPCR), often aligned with or derived from IBU / EPD International PCRs through recognition |
| Verification | An approved individual verifier or an accredited certification body, per the General Programme Instructions | Centralised through IBU Verify GmbH — an IBU-affiliated entity dedicated solely to verification within the IBU programme | Approved independent verifiers, publicly listed by EPD Norge |
| ECO Platform member | Yes | Yes — large-category member | Yes — founding member |
| Mutual recognition (MRA) | Agreement with EPD Norge (dual-logo publication possible); a network of bilateral agreements | The most extensive network of mutual recognition agreements in Europe — historically, the first with EPD International (2013) | Agreements with IBU, EPD International, EPD Denmark, EPD Italy and PEP ecopassport |
| Best suited to | Exporters with a global or multi-country market, non-construction products, a company's first EPD with no clear local market | Construction material manufacturers selling predominantly into the German or Central European market | Companies selling or tendering directly into the Norwegian market |
EPD International — the oldest and broadest network
This is the world's first EPD system, with the widest library of product category rules — not only for construction, but for virtually any product or service category. If your product does not fall clearly under construction, or you sell across several markets with no obvious local operator, EPD International is usually the default choice.
Verification runs either through an approved individual verifier or through an accredited certification body — the programme permits both routes, which gives you more freedom in choosing a verifier than a centralised model does.
IBU — the densest mutual-recognition network in Europe
IBU specialises almost exclusively in construction and related products, and is based in Germany. One structural difference stands out: verification within the IBU programme runs through a dedicated entity — IBU Verify GmbH — which administers the entire verification workflow for IBU declarations, unlike EPD International's more open model.
According to publicly available information, IBU holds the most extensive network of mutual recognition agreements with other European programmes. In practice, an EPD published with IBU can be accepted directly in several other registries or schemes without further verification — useful if you sell into several European markets at once.
EPD Norge — effectively mandatory if you sell in Norway
EPD Norge matters above all if you have customers in, or tender directly into, the Norwegian market. Norway has introduced public procurement rules requiring a minimum weighting for climate and environmental criteria, and the Norwegian building code (TEK17) mandates a greenhouse gas account for new buildings — projects without product-specific data (an EPD) must fall back on generic values, which carry an additional penalty percentage.
An EPD published with EPD Norge — or recognised through the mutual recognition agreement with EPD International — is usually the first document Norwegian design teams look for.
How to choose, in practice
- 01
Where do you predominantly sell?
A clear Norwegian market → EPD Norge. German or Central European market with a construction product → IBU. Global market or a non-construction product → EPD International.
- 02
Does a PCR for your category already exist with a particular operator?
If a direct competitor already has EPDs published with a given programme, on the same PCR, choosing that programme aids comparability and can shorten the process.
- 03
Do you need recognition across several markets at once?
Check the active mutual recognition agreements at source — they change (an IBU–INIES agreement, for instance, was suspended) and they do not all cover every product category in the same way.
- 04
Who verifies your declaration?
At IBU, verification runs through a dedicated entity (IBU Verify); at EPD International and EPD Norge you choose from a list of approved verifiers — which can matter if you already have a relationship with a particular verifier.
Frequently asked questions
Can I publish the same EPD with several programmes at once?
Yes, provided a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) exists between the programmes concerned — EPD Norge and EPD International, for example, allow dual-logo publication with minimal additional requirements from the Norwegian programme. Without an active MRA covering your product category, you need a separate verification process with each programme.
Is an EPD published with IBU automatically accepted in tenders in other EU countries?
Usually yes, provided it complies with EN 15804+A2 — but direct acceptance without further verification depends on an active mutual recognition agreement with the local programme. Do not assume it; check the exact wording of the tender documents or of the certification scheme (LEED, BREEAM and similar) the project uses.
Does verification cost differently across the three programmes?
The structure differs — a freely chosen individual verifier at EPD International and EPD Norge, centralised verification through a dedicated entity at IBU — and that shapes the final cost. Exact figures vary by product category and by operator, so we do not estimate them here: ask for a quotation and you get the exact cost for your project, broken down into LCA, verification and publication.
If I later switch programme operator, does the EPD remain valid?
The document remains valid with the programme where it was originally published, for its stated validity period. Migrating to another programme without a mutual recognition agreement normally means a fresh verification process, not simply “moving” the document.
Figures to confirm at source
Before quoting any of the following in a proposal or marketing material: these have changed over time or vary, and the secondary sources available are not authoritative enough for exact figures. Confirm them directly on each programme's own website.
- The exact number of published EPDs per operator — figures found in secondary sources (thousands of declarations at IBU and EPD Norge) could not be confirmed directly on environdec.com, ibu-epd.com or epd-norge.no; treat them as approximate.
- The current version of the PCR for your product category — PCR libraries are updated (PCR 2019:14 for construction at EPD International, for instance, reached version 2.0.1 in 2025). Check the version valid at the time of your project, directly in the chosen operator's library.
- The full list and current status of mutual recognition agreements — some expand, others are suspended. Confirm on each operator's Mutual Recognition page.
- The Norwegian legal requirements (minimum weighting for climate criteria in public procurement, TEK17 requirements) — these are live regulations, subject to change.
Not sure which programme
fits your project?
CarbonDRI coordinates the complete process — from the LCA study to choosing the programme operator that suits your target market, through to publishing the verified EPD.
See also: From LCA to EPD · LCA vs EPD vs CFP · EPD service