Identify the document and the product
Record the declaration owner, product description, programme, registration reference, validity and applicable product category rules. Check whether the data cover the actual product, a product group or another stated population.
Compare environmental declarations only after aligning the product function, declared or functional unit, lifecycle coverage and assessment method. Review the applicable programme instructions and product category rules with the declaration. A document owned by another manufacturer is not evidence for FencingWise products. EPD International methodology and governing documents.
Align units before interpreting numbers
Check the declared unit before converting environmental figures for a fence comparison. In this fictional example, 2 kg CO₂e per kg multiplied by a component mass of 12 kg per metre gives 24 kg CO₂e per metre, limited to the scope of that material result. It is not automatically an impact figure for the installed fence with posts, gates, transport and maintenance.
That conversion alone does not produce a complete fence EPD. It omits any additional components or processes outside the original scope. It also does not establish comparability with a figure already reported per metre for a different fence function or lifecycle boundary.
| Comparison field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Declared or functional unit | Defines the quantity and function being represented |
| Product performance | Prevents unlike duties being treated as substitutes |
| Lifecycle modules | Identifies which stages are included |
| PCR and method versions | Establishes the applicable calculation rules |
| Geography and scenarios | Explains relevant supply and end-of-life assumptions |
| Validity and verification | Identifies the supported document and period |
Keep modules and indicators distinct
Do not add or subtract reported stages without following the applicable method. A result for production alone should not be labelled whole lifecycle. Keep benefits or loads reported beyond the system boundary distinct from the core totals where the declaration requires it.
Likewise, climate impact is one indicator. A lower value in that column does not automatically establish that every environmental effect is lower. Avoid a broad “greenest fence” conclusion from one selected number.
Deal with missing data openly
If one offer has an applicable EPD and another has only an unsupported environmental statement, record the evidence difference. Do not invent a comparable figure for the second offer or assign it the industry average without a justified method.
For partner-sourced products, retain the declaration owner's identity and the exact covered item. If the requested finished-product evidence is unavailable, state that gap before the buyer scores competing offers.
A project may establish a separate evidence requirement before scoring environmental performance. Make that requirement clear to bidders so the evaluation does not change after quotations arrive.
Keep procurement claims within the document
Use the declaration’s actual scope in the comparison record. Do not remove its owner or present another manufacturer’s document as a certificate for the supplied fence. Confirm the connection between the product ordered and the declaration used.
The recycled-content guide handles material percentages; the sustainable purchasing checklist shows how evidence can be incorporated into a broader award decision.
Request the declaration's scope with the quote
Specify the required product function, unit and lifecycle boundary. Ask for verifiable document references and a clear explanation of what supplied items they cover. Tie the comparison to an identified assembly such as the 656 double wire fence configuration.