Gaps in the machine-interpretability of ISO 22057 EPDs: identification and proposals for a revised international standard

This research addresses the existing gaps in the incorporation of EPDs (environmental product declarations) digitalized according to the international standard ISO 22057 into the software tools used for sustainability assessment of buildings and infrastructures. The objective is to reduce the resources required for the transfer of EPD data into digital models. The analysis included a scientific literature review, the assessments of published digital EPDs and the feedback from practitioners in the fields of LCA and BIM, based survey conducted in the international and European standardization committees and the replies from 45 experts This study identified nineteen gaps, with each gap receiving a thorough assessment, resulting in specific recommendations and future research directions. The solutions are presented in a structured manner to facilitate their implementation in the revision of ISO 22057. The research was conducted for construction products’ environmental data, but most of the solutions are transferable to other types of product data and various sectors, thus extending beyond the construction industry. • Automating the incorporation of EPD data into BIM will reduce the cost of environmental assessments • This study identifies limitations for the automatic machine interpretation of ISO 22057 EPDs • The research intends to trigger a revision of the digital formats used for the transfer of LCA data • The paper proposes specific modifications for ISO 22057, ISO 21930 and EN 15804 • The results can be integrated into the data structure of the digital passport of construction products