EPDs and Green Star: What Australian manufacturers need to know before May 2026
From 1st May 2026, every new project registering for a Green Star rating must use Green Star Buildings v1.1. For manufacturers and suppliers of building products, this matters - because the updated framework has quietly increased the value of product-specific Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
If you’ve been considering an EPD, the business case just got stronger.
What’s changed: product-specific EPDs are now worth more
In December 2025, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) confirmed that product-specific EPDs registered with EPD Australasia now score 7 Responsible Product Value (RPV) points under the Green Star Responsible Products Framework - up from 5. The increase is retrospective, meaning existing EPDs benefit immediately.
In practical terms, 7 RPV is enough to meet ‘Good Practice’ requirements on their own for two of the four Responsible Products credits:
– Responsible Finishes
– Responsible Systems
For the remaining two credits - Responsible Structure and Responsible Envelope - a product-specific EPD gets you part of the way there. Combine it with another recognised certification (such as ResponsibleSteel, FSC, or an Aluminium Stewardship Council certification), and you can meet Good Practice or even Exceptional Performance requirements.
Why this matters for your customers
Project teams chasing Green Star ratings need products with verified environmental credentials. The Responsible Products credits reward the use of materials that have been independently assessed - and an EPD is one of the most comprehensive ways to demonstrate that.
An EPD declares independently verified life cycle assessment (LCA) results across multiple environmental impact categories, including upfront embodied carbon (stages A1–A3), end-of-life impacts (C1–C4), resource use, waste, and output flows. No other sustainability initiative recognised by the GBCA provides that breadth of science-based, independently verified environmental data.
For architects, engineers, and developers specifying materials, a product with an EPD is simply easier to include in a Green Star submission. That’s a competitive advantage for manufacturers who have one.
The bigger picture: embodied carbon is front and centre
Green Star Buildings v1.1 doesn’t just adjust RPV scores. It sharpens the focus on upfront carbon - the greenhouse gas emissions embedded in materials before a building is even occupied.
Green Star has required a minimum 10% reduction in embodied carbon against a reference building since 2020, rising to 20% for higher ratings. The GBCA’s stated trajectory targets a 40% reduction by 2030. As these benchmarks tighten, the data in EPDs becomes essential - not optional.
Meanwhile, the NABERS Embodied Carbon rating tool (launched in late 2024) encourages the use of product-specific EPDs over generic emission factors from national databases. When a project uses an EPD to calculate material emissions, the result is more accurate - and typically more favourable for manufacturers investing in lower-impact production.
The direction is clear: verified, product-specific environmental data is becoming the currency of sustainable building specification in Australia.
Product-specific vs. industry-wide EPDs
Not all EPDs are treated equally under Green Star. The 7 RPV applies to product-specific EPDs - those based on data from your manufacturing operations, registered through a programme operator like EPD Australasia.
Industry-wide (or sector) EPDs, which use averaged data across multiple manufacturers, may still have value for benchmarking, but they don’t carry the same weight in the Responsible Products Framework. If your competitors have product-specific EPDs and you’re relying on an industry average, your product is harder for specifiers to justify.
What the EPD process involves
Developing an EPD typically takes 12–20 weeks. The process involves:
1. Scoping and PCR selection - identifying the applicable Product Category Rules and required life cycle stages.
2. Data collection and LCA modelling - gathering primary process data, supply chain data, and upstream EPDs to model your product’s environmental footprint.
3. EPD compilation - assembling the results into a standardised document aligned with ISO 14025, EN 15804+A2 (for construction products), and the relevant PCR.
4. Third-party verification - an independent verifier reviews the LCA and EPD to confirm compliance and accuracy.
5. Registration and publication - the verified EPD is published through a programme operator such as EPD Australasia and becomes publicly available.
Once published, an EPD is typically valid for five years, with the option to update it as production processes or standards evolve.
The timeline: why acting now matters
From 1st May 2026, Green Star Buildings v1.1 is the only option for new project registrations. Project teams are already planning submissions under the updated framework - and they’re asking suppliers about EPDs now.
If you start an EPD today, a 12–20 week timeline means your EPD could be published and earning Green Star credits by Q3 2026. Wait six months, and you risk being left out of specification decisions that are being made right now.
EPD Australasia also reduced its fees in April 2026, lowering the barrier for small and medium-sized enterprises. For SMEs with turnover under $10 million, joining fees have dropped by up to 59%.
How Lifecycles can help
We’ve been developing EPDs for Australian manufacturers since the early days of the EPD Australasia programme. Our team manages the full process - from scoping and data collection through to verification sign-off and publication, so you get a robust, standards-compliant EPD without having to navigate the technical complexity yourself.
Recent examples include 42 EPDs for Barro Group’s premixed concrete across 16 production sites, EPDs for Neumann Steel’s reinforcing bar and mesh products, and an EPD covering Bisalloy Steels’ full range of quenched and tempered steel plates.
If you’re considering an EPD - or want to understand what’s involved - get in touch for an initial conversation.