Summary (TL;DR)
- You can create third-party verified EPDs for your asphalt portfolio without becoming an LCA specialist or hiring consultants for every mix.
- Ecochain’s LCA automation software makes EPD creation accessible to sustainability and product teams, helping asphalt manufacturers meet CPR 2027 requirements and win government tenders in Benelux and DACH markets.
- This guide breaks down what asphalt EPDs are, how to measure A1-A3 carbon impacts, and how to build repeatable workflows that scale across your plant network.
What are EPDs for asphalt – and why do manufacturers need them?
Every tender is changing.
Municipal buyers in Benelux and DACH increasingly ask for product-specific EPDs. Not just for documentation — for scoring. Your mix’s verified GWP per ton can determine whether you’re shortlisted.
So what exactly is an EPD? An Environmental Product Declaration is a third-party verified report that quantifies a product’s environmental impacts. Think of it as a nutrition label, but for carbon and other environmental indicators.
For asphalt, an EPD calculates Global Warming Potential (GWP) across three lifecycle stages called modules A1-A3:
- A1: Raw materials (e.g., bitumen, aggregates, additives)
- A2: Transport to your plant
- A3: Manufacturing at your facility
The declared unit — the basis for comparison — is typically 1 metric ton of mix.
EPDs follow two main standards: ISO 14025 and EN 15804+A2 (the European standard for construction products). Product Category Rules (PCRs) define how to treat specific inputs like bitumen, RAP (Recycled Asphalt Pavement), aggregates, and additives in your calculations.
For asphalt producers, EPDs deliver three things:
- Regulatory compliance: CPR 305/2011 requires verified environmental declarations by 2027.
- Market differentiation: Verified RAP and warm mix data beats unsubstantiated claims in tender evaluations.
- Procurement readiness: Without EPDs, you simply can’t bid on tenders that require them.
How to measure asphalt’s carbon footprint: breaking down A1-A3
You don’t need to be a sustainability expert to understand where asphalt’s emissions come from.
The carbon footprint breaks into three parts. Once you see the pattern, you’ll know where to focus your reduction efforts.
Module A1: Raw materials
Bitumen is the biggest contributor here. Upstream production typically accounts for 40-60% of total cradle-to-gate GWP, depending on binder grade.
RAP makes a real difference. Higher RAP percentages reduce the need for virgin binder, which cuts A1 emissions substantially. Aggregate production (blasting, crushing, washing) and additives (warm mix agents, anti-strips) contribute the remaining footprint.
Module A2: Transport to factory or plant
Logistics matter more than you might expect.
Haul distances for aggregates, binder, and RAP directly affect your results. Long-distance trucking, partial loads, and empty return trips all increase A2 emissions. Plants located near aggregate sources or using rail transport typically show lower A2 footprints than those relying entirely on long-haul trucking.
Module A3: Manufacturing
This is your plant’s direct footprint — the part you control most.
Several factors influence A3 results:
- Fuel choice for the burner (natural gas vs. heavy fuel oil)
- Electricity consumption
- Aggregate moisture content (wetter aggregates need more energy to dry)
- Production temperature (hot mix vs. warm mix)
Warm mix technologies at reduced temperatures typically show 10-20% lower A3 emissions than conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA) operations.
Metered energy data from burners, dryers, and auxiliary equipment gives you the most defensible results.
A1-A3 data priorities for asphalt
| LCA stage | Impact focus | Where to get the data |
| A1 — Raw materials | Bitumen and RAP content, aggregate production | Supplier EPDs, refinery data, RAP records |
| A2 — Transport | Haul distances, modes, load factors | Logistics systems, weighbridge records |
| A3 — Manufacturing | Burner fuel, electricity, moisture effects | Plant meters, fuel records, SCADA data |
The challenge: Turning plant data into verified EPDs
The business case for EPDs is clear. You need them for tenders. CPR 2027 is approaching.
But when you’re the one tasked with creating them? That’s where it gets complicated.
Here’s what typically slows teams down:
- Supplier data gaps: Where did the bitumen come from? Which refinery? What allocation method? These details shape A1 results — but suppliers often provide only generic emission factors.
- Transport traceability: Can you trace haul distances accurately? Or are you piecing together weighbridge records and ERP exports that don’t quite match?
- Additive complexity: Warm mix agents affect A1 impacts, but suppliers may withhold proprietary formulation details.
- Verification uncertainty: Will verifiers accept your plant electricity assumptions? What happens when you need to update ten EPDs after one supplier changes their data?
The real challenge isn’t understanding the methodology. It’s translating your actual plant operations into traceable, auditable EPD data.
Creating asphalt EPDs: A structured workflow
You can create EPDs using a structured approach that moves from plant data to verified documentation.
Step 1: Select the right LCA automation software
Before you begin creating EPDs, choose an LCA solution that fits your team’s needs and experience level. Consider:
- Industry-specific capabilities: Does the software support asphalt-specific workflows, PCRs, and data requirements?
- Team experience level: Can sustainability teams and product managers operate it, or does it require LCA specialists?
- Support and services: What level of expert guidance is available for data setup, modeling, and verification readiness?
- Scalability: Can it handle multiple plants, mixes, and suppliers as your needs grow?
Solutions like Ecochain’s LCA automation software are built specifically for construction product manufacturers, combining accessible software with expert support to help teams create verified EPDs without needing deep LCA expertise.
Step 2: Define scope
Map which mixes need EPDs and which plants require plant-specific modeling. Confirm your declared unit, system boundaries (A1-A3), and applicable PCR.
Step 3: Collect inventory
Gather three categories of data:
- Materials data: bitumen, RAP, aggregates, additives
- Transport data: distances, modes
- Plant data: fuel, electricity, production volumes
Step 4: Model and review
Build your LCA model, apply background datasets, and calculate indicators. Review GWP results against industry benchmarks.
Step 5: Prepare documentation
Complete the EPD template with results, flow diagrams, and supporting evidence.
Step 6: Verification and publication
Submit to an approved verifier, address their comments, and register the EPD. Validity is typically 5 years.
Ecochain’s LCA automation software helps teams create asphalt EPDs at scale. You can model plant configurations, generate verified EPDs, and maintain documentation across your portfolio — without needing to become an LCA expert yourself.
Best practices: How to build repeatable EPD workflows
You can’t control every data gap. But you can control how you prepare.
Standardize mix templates
Define common structures for HMA/WMA, RAP tiers, and binder grades with consistent naming. This allows you to replicate workflows across plants without starting from scratch each time.
Formalize supplier data collection
Use structured questionnaires that specify data quality requirements aligned with your PCR. Establish update cycles for your five-year validity period so you’re not scrambling when renewal comes.
Implement quality assurance
Assign clear ownership for production, procurement, and sustainability data. Define version control and change-log requirements so you always know what changed and when.
Operationalize energy monitoring
Meter burner and dryer consumption. Connect logistics data to your LCA templates. Run periodic reviews comparing modeled values with actuals to catch discrepancies early.
Document assumptions rigorously
Track emission factors, allocation methods, and transport modeling decisions. Keep a change log. When verifiers ask “where did this come from?” — you should be able to answer in under five minutes.
Align with requirements upfront
Check regional (e.g., German, Dutch, or Belgian) tender expectations before you start modeling — not during final review when changes are costly.
Get third-party verification
External validation builds trust, especially when your EPDs support public tenders or marketing claims.
How Ecochain supports asphalt manufacturers
If you’re producing asphalt for construction projects, carbon data isn’t optional anymore. It’s required for tenders, EPDs, and soon, Digital Product Passports (DPP) under ESPR.
We’ve helped asphalt producers across Benelux and DACH build repeatable EPD workflows — turning plant data into verified declarations efficiently and confidently.
Before working with us, sustainability managers and plant operations teams often describe the same frustrations: chasing supplier data, manually compiling spreadsheets, scrambling before tender deadlines, and worrying whether their numbers will hold up under verification.
By implementing Ecochain’s LCA automation software, they get a repeatable system. When sales needs an EPD for a tender, it’s ready. When a supplier changes, regenerating new EPDs takes days instead of months.
For sustainability teams who need reliable LCA data fast — and plant managers juggling operations alongside emissions reporting — our software helps you measure, model, and improve with confidence:
- LCA at scale: Model multiple plants, mixes, and suppliers in one system
- Fast scenario comparisons: Test mix changes and see the impact before committing
- Expert support: Our professional services team helps with onboarding, data preparation, and verification readiness
Our software helps you get results that hold up under scrutiny and build workflows you can repeat — without needing to become an LCA expert yourself.
Talk to our team — we’ll show you how Ecochain’s LCA automation software works for asphalt manufacturers.
FAQs
How long does an asphalt EPD take to create?
The time needed to generate EPDs for asphalt products depends on several factors: data availability, complexity of your mix portfolio, and verifier capacity. With software-assisted workflows, you can speed up data gathering and reuse templates across similar mixes. The efficiency gains are most significant when you’re creating EPDs for multiple products rather than one-off declarations.
What data is required for asphalt mix EPDs?
To generate asphalt EPDs, you need three categories of data:
- Mix design: bitumen content, RAP percentage, aggregate types, additives
- Logistics: haul distances, transport modes, payloads
- Plant operations: fuel type and consumption, electricity, moisture content, production volumes
Data quality should reflect current technology and regional conditions to satisfy ISO 14044 requirements.
How much does an asphalt EPD cost to produce?
The total cost of generating EPDs for asphalt products includes modeling effort, verification fees, and program operator registration. Traditional consultant-led approaches typically involve significant external spend per mix.
Software-assisted approaches reduce external spend substantially when scaled. With Ecochain’s LCA automation software, costs can drop to as low as €50 per EPD once your data foundation is in place. The incremental cost per EPD falls significantly once templates exist for common mix families.
Do asphalt EPDs cover A1-A5 or just A1-A3?
Most asphalt EPDs focus on cradle-to-gate modules A1-A3, with a declared unit of 1 metric ton. This aligns with CPR 305/2011 and typical tender requirements.
Some contracts request A4-A5 scenarios (transport to site and installation). Always check that system boundaries are consistent when comparing EPDs from different sources.
Can I publish plant-specific or product-specific asphalt EPDs?
Both plant-specific and product-specific asphalt EPDs are accepted under EN 15804+A2.
- Plant-specific EPDs model one facility’s technology, fuels, and logistics
- Product-specific EPDs focus on a mix design that may run across multiple plants
Many producers use a portfolio approach: plant-specific baselines for key facilities, plus product-specific EPDs for strategic HMA and WMA mixes. All types require third-party verification and program operator registration.
What regulations drive EPD requirements for asphalt in Benelux and DACH?
Several EU regulations are converging to make EPDs for asphalt manufacturers a requirement rather than an option:
- CPR 305/2011 establishes harmonized rules for construction product declarations
- EN 15804+A2 provides the technical standard for EPD methodology
- CBAM (from 2023) requires embedded emissions reporting for certain imports
- CSRD (from 2024) mandates Scope 1-3 disclosures for larger companies
National authorities increasingly translate these into procurement criteria, making verified EPDs a prerequisite for tender participation in public infrastructure projects.
