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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?

An LCA is a scientific method used to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product across its entire life cycle—from raw material extraction to production, use, and end-of-life.

What is a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)?

A PCF measures the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product throughout its life cycle. It helps organizations identify emissions hotspots and reduce carbon impact. 

What is an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)?

An EPD is a standardized, third-party verified document that communicates the environmental impact of a product based on LCA data.

Why do I need an EPD?

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) isn’t just a report—it’s a strategic tool that helps your business compete, comply, and communicate credibility in today’s sustainability-driven market.

What is the difference between LCA, PCF, and EPD?

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) are closely related but serve different purposes.

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  • An LCA is the most comprehensive—it analyzes all environmental impacts of a product across its entire lifecycle, from raw materials to disposal.

  • A PCF is a more focused version of that analysis, measuring only the product’s greenhouse gas emissions (COâ‚‚e), making it ideal for carbon reporting and reduction efforts.

  • An EPD takes the results of an LCA and turns them into a standardized, third-party verified document that can be used externally for marketing, compliance, and product comparison.

 

In simple terms, the LCA provides the full data, the PCF isolates the carbon impact, and the EPD communicates those results in a credible, market-ready format. 

What is a PCR?

A Product Category Rule (PCR) is the rulebook behind an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). It defines exactly how a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) must be conducted and how the results should be reported for a specific product category.

 

In simple terms, a PCR ensures that all products in the same category are evaluated using the same methods, assumptions, and data requirements, making their environmental impacts consistent and comparable. Without a PCR, each company could calculate impacts differently, making it difficult—or impossible—for customers to compare products fairly

What is a Critical Review and why does it matter?

A Critical Review is an independent evaluation of your Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or Product Carbon Footprint (PCF).

It ensures that your study is:

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  • Methodologically sound

  • Aligned with ISO standards

  • Transparent and defensible

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Why it matters: A critical review increases credibility, supports public disclosure (like EPDs), and gives customers and regulators confidence in your data.

What is EPD Verification and why is it important?

EPD verification is the final step that confirms your Environmental Product Declaration meets all required standards and is accurate.

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Because EPDs are third-party verified, they are trusted by:

  • Customers and specifiers

  • Regulators and certification bodies

  • Architects, engineers, and procurement teams

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Why it matters: Verification turns your sustainability data into something you can confidently use in the market.

What’s the difference between Critical Review and EPD Verification?

  • Critical Review → Ensures the LCA/PCF study is correct and compliant

  • EPD Verification → Confirms the final EPD document is accurate and ready for publication

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Together, they ensure your results are credible, compliant, and market-ready.

How long does it take to complete a project?

LCA/PCR/EPD Development Projects:

Project timelines vary depending on complexity and data availability, but most follow a predictable range.

  • A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) typically takes about 3–6 months for a complete, ISO-compliant study with critical review, although simpler projects can be faster and more complex ones can take longer.

  • A Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is usually completed more quickly since it focuses only on carbon emissions, often falling within a similar or shorter timeframe depending on scope and available data.

  • An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) takes longer because it includes the LCA plus formatting, verification, and publication—most projects take several months end-to-end, commonly in the range of about 4–8 months, with data collection and third-party verification being the biggest drivers of timing.

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That said, timelines are heavily driven by data availability and project scope. At Horizon LCA, we work closely with your team to streamline the process as much as possible—simplifying data collection, guiding you step-by-step, and minimizing delays so you can get to actionable results faster.

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Critical Review and Verification Projects:

At Horizon LCA, we prioritize speed without compromising quality or compliance. Most critical reviews and verification projects are completed within 4 weeks, with round-one feedback typically returned in less than 2 weeks.

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Industry benchmarks often show critical reviews taking several weeks and EPD verification ranging from about 4–8 weeks depending on complexity.

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