Driving low-carbon compliance through EPDs: Forza Doors advances fire door design
Iain Hoey
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Will Hunnam, Managing Director at Forza Doors, examines how EPDs support low-carbon specification, regulatory alignment, and sustainable manufacturing across the fire safety sector
In fire safety, compliance and performance are non-negotiables – but in today’s construction industry, so too is sustainability.
As a UK manufacturer specialising in bespoke timber fire doors, Forza Doors is seeing a new dimension when it comes to specification decisions: balancing certified fire protection with verified low-carbon performance.
The industry is undergoing a clear shift in how it approaches environmental performance.
As operational energy use improves, embodied carbon has become the main focus.
In fact, by 2030, it’s expected to account for most of a building’s total lifecycle emissions.
This change creates both challenges and opportunities for specifiers.
With a growing emphasis on whole-life carbon assessment, decisions made during product selection now have greater impact.
Verified environmental data is no longer a bonus – it’s becoming essential.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are emerging as a key tool in this process.
For those specifying fire doors, this means balancing proven, certified fire safety performance with transparent sustainability credentials.
At Forza Doors, we’ve seen growing demand not only for quality, but for clear environmental evidence.
A need for reliable carbon data
Fire door specifiers today are navigating a minefield of environmental claims.
Almost every product is marketed as “green” or “low carbon”, but these claims are often vague or inconsistent.
With increased pressure to meet embodied carbon targets and align with net zero goals, inconsistent data becomes a barrier to confident decisions.
EPDs address this issue.
Developed under standards such as EN 15804, they offer third-party verified data on a product’s environmental impact across its lifecycle.
EPDs allow transparent, like-for-like comparisons based on real carbon data, not abstract claims.
Integration with specification workflow
Construction has led the way in EPD adoption, reflecting the urgency around embodied carbon.
On large projects with many components, access to standardised data early in the process is critical.
EPDs also align with digital workflows.
Many are now integrated into BIM libraries, referenced in schemes like BREEAM, and requested in early procurement stages.
This makes them especially valuable on projects with digital modelling, carbon budgets, or sustainability goals.
Changing expectations for manufacturers
This shift is also changing how manufacturers operate.
Focus has expanded from just operational emissions to include product-level impacts.
Specifiers now expect transparent proof, not just broad sustainability claims.
Creating an EPD involves assessing a product’s full lifecycle – from raw materials to disposal.
This often highlights carbon hotspots and encourages supply chain collaboration.
We were the first UK timber door manufacturer to publish verified EPDs for our core range – helping specifiers make informed, low-carbon choices without compromising on performance or compliance.
The role of regulation
New regulatory developments add further weight.
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), effective from 2024, sets a precedent for environmental reporting across supply chains.
While UK law hasn’t matched it yet, similar expectations are appearing through voluntary frameworks and procurement practices.
Lifecycle assessment is increasingly essential for manufacturers to stay competitive.
Standardisation is critical
For EPDs to be effective, consistency matters.
If methods or formats vary, comparisons become unreliable.
Third-party schemes like BRE’s Environmental Profiles or the International EPD System ensure alignment and standardisation.
Specifiers should also check that EPDs use equivalent functional units (e.g.
per square metre) and include comparable assumptions like lifespan and installation method.
When these factors align, EPDs offer a sound basis for carbon-conscious decisions.
A core part of modern specification
Embodied carbon is now a key procurement metric, and EPDs are becoming a core requirement.
They offer specifiers reliable data, enable more confident choices, and support wider project goals.
For manufacturers, EPDs provide a way to stand out through transparency and accountability.
As carbon performance becomes as important as cost or compliance, verified product data is now essential.
EPDs offer the clarity and confidence that both specifiers and manufacturers need to meet the demands of low-carbon construction.
About Forza Doors
Forza is a leading UK manufacturer of bespoke timber fire doors and joinery.
Operating across the commercial interiors sector, the company provides timber solutions for the office, education, hospitality, healthcare and residential markets.
Its products are not only designed for awesome spaces but are fully compliant, offering complete peace of mind when it comes to safety.
Forza Doors is proud to be a British manufacturer.
Its West Sussex-based team brings decades of industry experience across fire, acoustic and structural specification.
The company is the first UK timber door manufacturer to publish verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its core range and is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Forza Doors prioritises safety through rigorous primary testing and extensive investment in product development, ensuring spaces are safe, secure and specified correctly.