Environmental transparency is becoming an important component of sustainability strategies across the construction and manufacturing sectors. Companies are increasingly expected to provide reliable information about the environmental impacts of their products, particularly as environmental regulations and green procurement policies expand globally. One of the most widely used tools for communicating this information is the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).
An EPD is a standardized document that reports the environmental performance of a product based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It presents quantified environmental data covering the entire lifecycle of a product, including raw material extraction, manufacturing processes, transportation, installation, use, and end-of-life treatment. EPDs are developed according to international standards such as ISO 14025 and EN 15804, which ensure transparency, consistency, and comparability between products.
In Portugal, demand for EPD certification has been increasing, particularly among construction material manufacturers, industrial product suppliers, and building component producers. Environmental product declarations are often used to support green building certifications such as LEED and BREEAM, which encourage the use of products with transparent environmental information.
The preparation of an EPD requires several technical steps, including data collection, life cycle inventory development, environmental impact assessment, and documentation preparation, followed by independent third-party verification. Because these processes require technical expertise and specialized software tools, many manufacturers collaborate with experienced EPD consultants to manage the certification process.
Below are several consulting firms that provide EPD consulting and product sustainability advisory services relevant to organizations operating in Portugal.
1. ERKE Consultancy
ERKE Consultancy is an international sustainability consulting firm founded in 2007, operating through offices in Istanbul, Dubai, and London. The company provides consulting services in green building certifications, product sustainability, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
ERKE has successfully completed numerous EPD certifications for manufacturers worldwide, supporting companies from regions ranging from Australia to Saudi Arabia. The firm works with manufacturers in industries such as construction materials, insulation products, coatings, building systems, and industrial materials.
The consultancy has collaborated with several international companies, including:
- Nippon Paint
- Polisan
- Çimsa
- Apresan
- USG Boral
- Durat Tiles
- Epsblock
- Alubond
ERKE’s team includes product sustainability experts and Life Cycle Assessment specialists who manage the full EPD development process. This includes life cycle data collection, environmental impact modeling, preparation of EPD reports, and coordination with verification bodies and program operators.
Through these services, ERKE supports manufacturers seeking to align their products with international environmental standards and sustainability reporting frameworks.
2. ARUP
Arup is a global engineering and consulting firm established in 1946 and headquartered in London. The company provides multidisciplinary services across engineering, architecture, urban planning, and sustainability consulting.
Within its sustainability advisory practice, Arup offers services related to Life Cycle Assessment, environmental performance analysis, and product sustainability evaluation, which can support the preparation of Environmental Product Declarations.
The firm assists manufacturers and building product suppliers in assessing the environmental impacts of their products through lifecycle analysis and environmental impact studies.
Arup’s integrated expertise in engineering and sustainability enables the company to provide technical environmental analysis and product performance evaluation for organizations seeking to improve environmental transparency.
3. WSP Global
WSP Global is a multinational engineering and consulting firm headquartered in Canada, operating in more than 50 countries. The company provides consulting services across infrastructure, environmental engineering, and sustainability advisory sectors.
WSP offers sustainability consulting services related to Life Cycle Assessment, carbon footprint analysis, and environmental impact evaluation. These analyses can support manufacturers preparing documentation for Environmental Product Declarations.
Through lifecycle modeling and environmental performance analysis, WSP helps organizations understand the environmental impacts associated with their products and manufacturing processes.
The firm collaborates with manufacturers and construction industry stakeholders to support environmental product transparency and sustainability reporting initiatives.
4. Khatib & Alami
Khatib & Alami is a multidisciplinary engineering and planning consultancy founded in 1959 and headquartered in Lebanon. The firm operates across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, delivering services in architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting.
The company provides sustainability advisory services including environmental impact analysis, resource efficiency evaluation, and sustainability strategy development.
These services can support Life Cycle Assessment studies and environmental documentation, which are essential components of the Environmental Product Declaration process.
Khatib & Alami works with organizations in various sectors to integrate environmental performance evaluation and sustainability considerations into product and project development processes.
5. Ramboll
Ramboll is an international engineering and consultancy company headquartered in Denmark and founded in 1945. The firm operates globally across sectors including environment, energy, buildings, and infrastructure.
Ramboll offers sustainability consulting services related to Life Cycle Assessment, environmental footprint analysis, and resource efficiency studies.
These analyses allow organizations to evaluate environmental impacts associated with product lifecycles and manufacturing processes. The resulting data can be used in the preparation of Environmental Product Declarations and sustainability documentation.
Ramboll works with manufacturers and industrial companies to improve environmental performance evaluation and product sustainability reporting.
6. Linesight
Linesight is a global construction consultancy founded in 1976 in Ireland. The company specializes in project management, cost management, and construction advisory services for development projects.
While Linesight’s primary focus is construction project delivery, the firm frequently participates in projects where sustainability documentation and environmental reporting are required.
Through its role in construction project coordination and documentation management, Linesight can support projects where environmental data and sustainability reporting are important components.
The company works with developers, contractors, and consultants to support project coordination and documentation processes within sustainable construction projects.
7. Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald is a UK-headquartered engineering, management, and development consultancy founded in 1902. The company operates globally across sectors including infrastructure, transportation, energy, and buildings.
The firm provides environmental and sustainability consulting services including lifecycle analysis, environmental impact assessment, and sustainability reporting.
These services support organizations seeking to evaluate environmental performance across product lifecycles and prepare documentation aligned with international environmental reporting frameworks.
Mott MacDonald works with manufacturers and industrial organizations to integrate environmental performance analysis into product development and sustainability strategies.
Summary
Environmental Product Declarations provide a standardized approach for communicating the environmental performance of products based on verified Life Cycle Assessment data. As sustainability reporting requirements increase across the construction and manufacturing sectors, many companies pursue EPD certification to improve environmental transparency and support green building frameworks.
Consultancy firms involved in EPD development typically provide services such as life cycle assessment modeling, environmental impact evaluation, data analysis, and EPD documentation preparation. Some firms specialize in product sustainability consulting, while others integrate these services within broader engineering and environmental advisory practices.
Companies discussed in this article include 1. ERKE Consultancy 2. ARUP 3. WSP Global 4. Khatib & Alami 5. Ramboll 6. Linesight 7. Mott MacDonald. These organizations represent a combination of product sustainability specialists and multidisciplinary consulting firms involved in environmental performance analysis.
The appropriate consultancy partner generally depends on product category, environmental reporting objectives, lifecycle data requirements, and the technical expertise required for certification processes.