Why the Climate Declaration Applies to Construction Product Manufacturers – and Why Now Is the Right Time to Create an EPD

In Finland, the new Building Act entered into force on 1 January 2025. Under this legislation, the regulation on building climate declarations will apply from 9 January 2026 to new buildings defined in Section 38 of the Act. The regulation requires construction projects to assess the climate impacts of a building across its entire life cycle.

Although responsibility for the climate declaration lies with the party undertaking the construction project, its implications extend directly to construction product manufacturers. Without reliable, product-specific environmental data, a climate declaration cannot be carried out accurately. For this reason, the importance of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) is increasing rapidly across the construction industry.

What does a climate declaration mean in practice?

A climate declaration includes calculations of a building’s carbon footprint and carbon handprint.

Its objectives are to:

• guide construction towards lower-carbon solutions,
• improve transparency in material choices,
• enable comparison between alternatives, and
• establish consistent national practices for emissions reporting.

The calculations are typically carried out by designers or LCA specialists, who require precise and verified product data from manufacturers.

EPD as the foundation of the climate declaration

IWithout an EPD, construction projects must rely on generic average data, which rarely reflects the actual performance of a specific product.

If a product’s true carbon footprint is lower than the average, this advantage may go unused. A product-specific EPD makes it possible to demonstrate environmental impacts transparently and in a comparable manner.

Why create an EPD now?

1. Emission limits will tighten

The Building Act introduces carbon footprint limit values (kgCO₂e/m²/year) for new buildings. While the limits for 2026–2028 are relatively moderate, the first tightening will take place in 2029. Accurate EPDs help projects remain below these limits and strengthen a product’s position in material selection.

2. Access to international supply chains

In many European countries, EPDs are already a standard requirement. Without them, participation in export markets and international projects becomes increasingly difficult.

3. Transparency builds trust

Customers expect standardized and verified information. An EPD is a credible way to demonstrate sustainability without the risk of greenwashing.

4. LCA supports product development and cost efficiency

Life cycle assessment identifies the main sources of emissions and supports:

• optimization of material choices,
• improvements in energy efficiency,
• circular economy solutions, and
• identification of cost-saving opportunities.

EPD is not an obligation – it is a business opportunity

EPDs are particularly valuable for manufacturers whose products are used in concrete, timber, and metal structures, insulation, HVAC systems, and building services. In public procurement, low-carbon pilot projects, and international growth, EPDs are increasingly a prerequisite for competitiveness.

Without an EPD, a manufacturer may lose out—not because of product quality, but because its strengths cannot be credibly demonstrated.

How can Aila help?

Aila provides a digital, AI-assisted platform that supports EPD and LCA processes as well as climate declarations for construction projects in an efficient and standards-compliant way. With modern tools, the EPD process is often significantly lighter than expected, and the benefits far outweigh the effort.

Now is the right time to ensure that your product data supports your customers’ climate declarations and strengthens your competitiveness in the years ahead.