/epd-research
Search registries and manufacturer sites for Environmental Product Declarations
What it does
Type /epd-research with a material or product category. Claude searches public EPD registries and manufacturer sustainability pages, extracts key metrics from each EPD listing, and returns a shortlist sorted by GWP (lowest first) with LEED eligibility flags.
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 the Sustainability plugin
Claude Code (terminal):
claude plugin marketplace add AlpacaLabsLLC/skills-for-architects
claude plugin install 05-sustainability@skills-for-architectsOr symlink just this skill:
git clone https://github.com/AlpacaLabsLLC/skills-for-architects.git
ln -s $(pwd)/skills-for-architects/plugins/05-sustainability/skills/epd-research ~/.claude/skills/epd-researchUsage
/epd-research CLTWith more detail:
/epd-research ready-mix concrete, 4000 PSI, plants within 500 miles of NYC, GWP under 350Claude runs 3-5 searches across registries, fetches EPD listings, and returns 6-12 candidates.
What it searches
| Source | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Building Transparency / EC3 | Largest open EPD database |
| UL Environment | Major US program operator |
| NSF International | Strong in concrete, masonry |
| Environdec | Largest international registry |
| 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 | LEED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CLT | Stora Enso | Austria/Sweden/Czech Republic | 52.6 kg CO2e/m3 | EN 15804+A2 | 2028-10 | Yes |
| 2 | CLT | Arboreal | Uruguay | 111 kg CO2e/m3 | EN 15804+A2 | 2029-06 | Yes |
| 3 | CLT | Kalesnikoff | BC, Canada | 124.5 kg CO2e/m3 | ISO 21930 | 2027-03 | Yes |
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
/epd-parser— download an EPD PDF and extract full data/epd-compare— compare found EPDs side-by-side/epd-to-spec— write spec language using the lowest GWP as the threshold