/epd-research
Search registries and manufacturer sites for Environmental Product Declarations
What it does
Type /as:epd-research with a material or product category. Claude searches public EPD registries and manufacturer sustainability pages, retrieves the original declaration for each candidate to verify product, unit, registration, validity and key indicators, and returns a shortlist sorted by GWP (lowest first). A search snippet or marketing claim never counts as an EPD.
Works for any building material — concrete, steel, CLT, insulation, carpet tile, gypsum, glazing.
Install
Claude Desktop:
- Open Customize → Browse plugins
- Click + → Add marketplace from GitHub
- Enter
AlpacaLabsLLC/skills-for-architects - Install Architecture Studio
Claude Code (terminal):
claude plugin marketplace add AlpacaLabsLLC/skills-for-architects
claude plugin install as@skills-for-architectsOr symlink just this skill:
git clone https://github.com/AlpacaLabsLLC/skills-for-architects.git
ln -s $(pwd)/skills-for-architects/skills/epd-research ~/.claude/skills/epd-researchUsage
/as:epd-research CLTWith more detail:
/as:epd-research ready-mix concrete, 4000 PSI, plants within 500 miles of NYC, GWP under 350Claude searches as broadly as the brief requires and returns candidates with original links, a selection rationale, and any gaps — inaccessible declarations or ambiguous variants are flagged, not guessed.
What it searches
| Source | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Building Transparency / EC3 | Open EPD database |
| UL Environment | Major US program operator |
| NSF International | US program operator |
| Environdec | International EPD System |
| IBU | European products |
| ASTM International | US program operator |
| Manufacturer sites | Direct sustainability pages |
Sample: Cross-Laminated Timber
Generated from: “CLT”
| # | Product | Manufacturer | Location | GWP-fossil (A1-A3) | Standard | Valid To |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CLT | Stora Enso | Austria/Sweden/Czech Republic | 52.6 kg CO2e/m3 | EN 15804+A2 | 2028-10 |
| 2 | CLT | Arboreal | South America | 111 kg CO2e/m3 | EN 15804+A2 | 2029-06 |
| 3 | CLT | Kalesnikoff | BC, Canada | 124.5 kg CO2e/m3 | ISO 21930 | 2027-03 |
Note on CLT GWP reporting: GWP-total includes biogenic carbon storage (~-800 kg CO2e/m3), making it deeply negative. GWP-fossil is the right metric for comparing manufacturing efficiency across CLT producers.
Each candidate includes manufacturer, plant location, GWP per declared unit, program operator, registration number, validity dates, and a “Why” note explaining relevance.
Pairs with
/as:epd-parser— download an EPD PDF and extract full data/as:epd-compare— compare found EPDs side-by-side/as:epd-to-spec— draft spec language with sourced, proposed GWP limits