Your Mill. Your Carbon Data. Your Advantage: Why EPDs Matter More Than Ever
- NHLA
- Feb 1
- 4 min read
PLUS: How Carbon Data Is Reshaping Hardwood’s Future
If you’re running a hardwood sawmill in the U.S.—whether you’re producing green lumber, kiln-dried stock, or flooring blanks—sustainability conversations are no longer optional.
They’re everywhere. Architects want proof. Builders are being required to show it. End customers who will never set foot in your yard are asking for it.
And now, sustainability is being shaped not only by Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) but by carbon data—how we measure it, how we communicate it, and how we compare to competing materials.
That’s why NHLA has expanded its education offerings to help members understand the carbon story behind hardwood products. In a recent webinar, “Telling the Hardwood Carbon Story,” NHLA unpacked:
• Why clearly communicating hardwood’s carbon advantages matters
• How hardwood compares to substitute materials like steel, concrete, plastics, and composites
• New U.S. Forest Service tools improving carbon data collection and analysis
• How NHLA’s Wood Innovation Grant is helping members calculate and share their carbon footprint
• And how mills can prepare for emerging climate-smart procurement requirements
This expanding focus on carbon reinforces one message: data matters— and mills that participate in EPD development are positioning themselves at the front of the sustainability conversation.
EPDS + THE LIFE CYCLE SURVEY: YOUR MILL’S PATHWAY TO VERIFIED SUSTAINABILITY
As part of the industry-wide shift toward carbon transparency, NHLA has partnered with the American Wood Council (AWC) to deploy the Life Cycle Survey, a secure online platform where mills submit the operational and environmental data needed for EPDs.
The purpose of this survey is straightforward: to gather standardized life cycle inventory data from U.S. hardwood mills so the industry can produce accurate, defensible life cycle assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations.
The survey collects the full range of material, energy, and process flows associated with each mill’s annual production, including input materials, byproducts, fiber sourcing, energy use, water use, waste generation, and more.
This centralized effort ensures consistent reporting across the hardwood sector and strengthens market transparency—a critical advantage as architects, builders, and government agencies increasingly rely on verified environmental data to make purchasing decisions.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
WHAT’S AN EPD—AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? EPDs are standardized, third party–verified reports that show how a product affects the environment throughout its life cycle. Large construction firms, architecture firms, and federal procurement programs already require EPDs for:
• Concrete
• Glass
• Steel
• And yes—wood
Think of an EPD as your mill passport into modern markets. It gets your lumber onto the spec sheet for projects that require verified sustainability. Without one, your product may never be considered—even if it’s the most sustainable option available.
As climate-smart procurement accelerates, buyers aren’t just asking for EPDs—they’re asking for clear carbon data. Hardwood’s natural carbon storage advantages strengthen our position, but they only matter when the data is documented and visible.
NHLA AND THE U.S. FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY (FPL) ARE STEPPING UP FOR YOU
To help mills navigate this transition, NHLA and the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory are offering direct support through:
• EPD development assistance
• Life cycle survey training
• Carbon education
• Technical support funded by the Wood Innovation Grant
NHLA has also engaged Adam Robertson to assist members with the Life Cycle Survey process, beginning with 2025 production data collection in early 2026. Training sessions and hands-on guidance will be provided to ensure that mills can participate with confidence.
This combined effort isn’t about paperwork—it’s about:
• Making your mill visible and competitive
• Demonstrating the true environmental value of American hardwood
• Ensuring mills are ready for procurement rules already reshaping the building materials market
WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOUR MILL—RIGHT NOW Whether you’re running a 5-person crew or a larger operation, participating in the Life Cycle Survey and EPD program positions you ahead of emerging market requirements:
• EPDs are increasingly required for public projects and green building certifications
• NHLA and FPL offer free expert support to guide you through the process
• Mills gain operational insights from the data they collect
• Industry participation strengthens the hardwood narrative in an era of intense competition
The more mills that participate, the stronger and more credible the environmental dataset becomes—ensuring hardwood remains competitive against steel, concrete, composites, and imported substitutes.
WHAT’S ACTUALLY INVOLVED?
The Life Cycle Survey relies primarily on data mills already generated. Most of what you need is in your existing production and utility records. NHLA will help you compile:
• Annual production volumes and primary products
• Byproducts and co-products
• Fiber sourcing and transportation distances
• Energy and fuel usage
• Water inputs and outputs
• Waste streams
• Safety data
• Major processes involved in production
No new software is required—just structured reporting of the work you already do. The result is a clear, defensible picture of your mill’s environmental performance that can be used in LCA studies and EPD development.
WHAT YOU GET FOR PARTICIPATING
Once your data is submitted and processed:
• Your mill becomes part of a national EPD dataset visible to architects, contractors, and buyers
• You meet modern sustainability expectations
• You gain access to new project opportunities
• You reinforce the environmental credibility of American hardwood
• You help the entire hardwood sector maintain—and grow—market share
NHLA’s carbon education programs ensure you can confidently communicate your carbon story, giving you a powerful advantage as procurement trends shift toward transparency.
WHAT IF YOU DON’T PARTICIPATE?
The risks of sitting out are real. Competing materials—including steel, plastics, composites, and imported wood products—are aggressively producing EPDs and shaping sustainability narratives.
If hardwood doesn’t show up with data, the specifiers who rely on that data may stop showing up for hardwood.
Participation ensures we tell our story—not the one others tell about us.
LET’S DO THIS—TOGETHER
Your mill’s craftsmanship, heritage, and commitment to sustainable forest use deserve recognition. NHLA is here to help you gain it—through EPD support, carbon education, and hands-on guidance every step of the way.
To get started or ask questions, contact:
Sailesh Adhikari
Director of Research and Development, NHLA
217-819-1304
We’re ready when you are. Let’s make sure the world sees—and chooses—the hardwood story you’ve been living all along.
By SAILESH ADHIKARI, DALLIN BROOKS AND DANA SPESSERT
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