FAQ

In the last version of the ELCD database (v3), the water used for hydraulic electricity is taken into account in water depletion indicators, even if the water is only moved from lake to river. It leads to an sharp increase of the WD indicators results.
Despite of these increase in the results the use of last version ELCD datasets is required.

The use of ELCD database is only mandatory for electricity mix (paragraph 2.5.2 of PCR ed 3.0 ) and end of life treatment (paragraph 2.5.6 of PCR ed 3.0 )and recommended in other cases. For EE equipement that have a really large impact during use phase, it is relevant to determine the electricity mix sources in order not to create disparities in the results. For the moment, the ELCD database is the only european free and shared database. It garanties the comparability of the results and the accessibility of the datasets.
The use of other databases is allowed (except for electricity mix) and has to be documented.

The reference flow can be described either as:

1/ reference product (name, quantity and mass) + waste as production losses, co-product, production wastes... (type, quantity and mass) + packaging such as primary, secondary and third packaging + Installation/maintenance components (type, quantity and mass)
or as

2/ all the flows composing the reference product (type and mass per flow) + all the flows composing the wastes (type and mass per flow) + all the flows composing the packaging (type and mass per flow) + all the flows composing the installation/maintenance components (type and mass per flow).

The first approach is more appropriate to EE equipment. It garanties that all elements allowing the realization of the functional unit are taken into account.
The second approach is more approate for mono or bi material components (such as material), the Association PEP do not recommend this approach.

The impacts over the whole life cycle have to be declared. For example, for lighting equipement the energy consumption over the use phase shall be taken into account even if bulbs are not sold at the same time than the equipment. For more information, please check the PSR 0014 Luminaires.

Some exclusions relating to infrastructures, clips, screws… are already included in the PCR. For justifying other exclusion or approximation, the PEP practitionner has to verify that the cut-of-rule will be respected (such a verification can be based on default approach, previous studies, secondary datasets, ...)

A joint environmental declaration deals with a product family and is proposed by several manufacturers within a trade association for example. The joint declaration shall meet the following conditions. It shall:

• Apply to a ""typical product"",
• Be based on the homogeneity of the parameters that significantly influence the value of each of the environmental indicators,
• Include a framework of validity that incorporates the following information:
  • The identification of the influential parameters, while specifying whether they are sourced from secondary or primary data
  • The intervals of validity of these parameters.
  This information shall be justified and documented in the LCA report.

On the contrary, a PEP classical declaration can apply on a product family. In this case, the declaration shall meet the following conditions:

• cover an homogeneous product family
• the extrapolation rules has to be defined in order to extrapolate the results from the reference product to others ones.

Assuming that for the new PEP with a different brand name, all the hypothesis remain valid and that no changes in calculation has been performed :

• If the old PEP is modified by adding the new brand name and commercial name of the product, it is considered as a minor modification.
  • The new PEP contains both brands and commercial name (initial one + new one)
  • No new verification report / conformity declaration is required
  • There is no cost for registration of the new PEP (minor modification)
  • The old PEP named for instance NXNS-0001-V01.01 is not valid anymore
  • The new PEP named NXNS-0001-V01.02
• If the PEP is registered by the same company, but with a new brand name and commercial name of the product, with no reference to the initial brand/product name
  • The new PEP contains only the new brand name and commercial name
  • The PEP does not need to go through a verification process
  • A new verification conformity declaration is needed, with the name of the new brand and new product name and new PEP name
    This new conformity declaration can integrate the initial conformity declaration and at least the previous verification report
  • The cost for registration is the same as for a new PEP, meaning
    • 200€ if the company is a PEP member
    • 500€ if the company is member of an Union itself member of PEP
    • 800€ registration otherwise
  • The old PEP NXNS-00001-V01.01 remains valid
  • The new PEP is named NXNS-0002-V01.01
• If the PEP is registered by another company, with a new brand name and commercial name of the product,
  • The PEP contains only the new brand name and commercial name
  • The PEP does not need to go through a verification process
  • A new verification conformity declaration is needed, with the name of the new brand and new

The declared units must be both relevant to sale units of covered products, and to the need of building LCA practitioners. In order to select the most relevant declared unit, and in the absence of requirements in the PSR, refer to the DED (default datasets) in the INIES database.

How to access the MDEGD declared units:

Go to www.base-inies.fr/iniesV4/dist/consultation.html

On the left panel, select the category related to your product

On the middle panel, select the ""MINISTERE DE LA TRANSITION ECOLOGIQUE""

If several products are listed, select the most relevent

Click on ""Unité fonctionnelle""

It is recommended to use the existing PSR to perform PEP covered by multiple PSR and to mention it on the LCA report. In the PEP title block, only mention the PCR and not the PSR as the product is not covered by them.

EN 15804+A1 definitions:

- Functional unit: quantified performance of a product system for use as a reference unit

- Declared unit: quantity of a construction product for use as a reference unit in an EPD for an environmental declaration based on one or more information modules. Example: Mass (kg), volume (m3)



Both the functional and the declared units are the basis to which the environmental results will be related to. Example: 20kg CO2 eq. / FU, or /DU.



The functional unit relates to the function of a product. It aims at linking the environmental impacts to the fulfilment of a defined function thanks to the use of a system of products and services (one, several, or part of products and services).

Example (PSR 0002 for an electric heating appliance): "To produce a 1 kW heating power for a 17 years reference life time": the function can be fulfilled by a single 1 kW product, by two 500 W products, or by half a 2 kW product.



The declared unit relates to the impact of a defined product, of a defined quantity of a product, without considering its function.

Example (PSR 0002 for an electric heating appliance): one heating device

The functional unit and declared unit have different uses: the functional unit focuses on the function and allows the comparison between different products or technical solutions as long as it fulfil the same function. The declared unit focuses on a single product, allowing for a better use of the results in larger scope LCA, such as building LCA, where the numbers of used products are already known.



When performing a PEP ecopassport, the definition of the functional unit, and the expression of results based on the functional unit, is compulsory.

For some product categories, the definition of the declared unit and the expression of results based on the declared unit is also compulsory. Check the relevant PSR to determine whether this is the case.