Growth of Concrete EPDs in Australia and New Zealand
As the largest contributor to building project's embodied carbon, concrete usually accounts for a share of up to 60%, making it a top priority for carbon reduction. The adoption of EPDs in the Australian concrete industry has been steadily increasing. As per Low Carbon Materials Hub’s latest Database v3, there are around 1,400 registered EPDs for over 5,000 concrete products in Australia and New Zealand, covering a wide range of ready-mix and precast concrete solutions. These EPDs are developed according to international standards such as ISO 14025 and EN 15804, ensuring consistency and credibility in environmental performance reporting.
Several top-tier concrete suppliers have embraced EPDs as part of their sustainability strategy. Companies such as Holcim Australia, Boral, Adbri, Hanson, and Firth are among the industry leaders in publishing EPDs for their concrete products. These suppliers have committed to reducing the carbon footprint of their materials while providing transparent environmental data to their clients.
Key Suppliers and Their EPD Initiatives
Holcim Australia (188 EPDs, 966 products) – One of the first companies to publish an EPD for ready-mix concrete in the country, Holcim has a strong portfolio of verified EPDs under its ECOPact™ brand, which allows builders and developers to choose lower-impact concrete options.
Boral (80 EPDs, 1,489 products) – Boral has developed multiple EPDs for their pre-mix concrete and asphalt products, ensuring their offerings align with green building certification programmes such as Green Star and Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) ratings.
Adbri (33 EPDs, 181 products) – Adbri’s Futurecrete® range incorporates supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to lower carbon emissions, and its EPDs help validate the sustainability benefits of these mixes.
Hanson (136 EPDs, 144 products) – With a strong focus on carbon reduction, Hanson provides EPDs for a range of its concrete solutions, supporting government and private sector projects seeking sustainable building materials and offering accurate A4 & A5 information with its project-specific EPDs.
Firth Concrete (54 EPDs, 948 products) – Leading concrete supplier in New Zealand, whose EcoMix® and EnviroBlend™ concrete incorporate supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and recycled aggregates to reduce embodied carbon.
The Role of Concrete EPDs in Sustainable Construction
Concrete EPDs play a crucial role in helping architects, engineers, and developers make informed choices about building materials. Their primary applications include:
Supporting Green Building Certifications – EPDs contribute to credits in Green Star, NABERS, and IS ratings, helping projects meet strict sustainability criteria.
Enabling Carbon Accounting – By providing data on Global Warming Potential (GWP) and other environmental indicators, EPDs allow project teams to calculate and reduce the carbon footprint of a development.
Encouraging Material Comparisons – With standardised metrics, construction professionals can compare different concrete mixes and select those with the lowest environmental impact.
Driving Industry Innovation – As demand for low-carbon concrete grows, suppliers are investing in research and development to create eco-friendly cement alternatives and optimised mix designs.
Future Outlook
The future of concrete EPDs in Australia looks promising, with more companies expected to develop and publish EPDs as sustainability regulations tighten. The increasing focus on net-zero emissions targets will further drive the adoption of low-carbon concrete solutions. Additionally, advances in digital construction tools and Building Information Modelling (BIM) will integrate EPD data into project planning, making environmental impact assessments more accessible and actionable.
Conclusion
As the Australian construction industry continues its transition towards sustainability, concrete EPDs have become a valuable tool for assessing and minimising environmental impacts. With leading suppliers investing in transparency and innovation, the role of EPDs will only grow stronger in the years ahead. Whether for infrastructure, commercial buildings, or residential developments, EPDs are helping shape a greener future for the Australian built environment.
