The idea that concrete contractors are just placing a structural material needs to be encased in a box and trowelled over. It may seem like a straightforward process, but in effect, contractors have to manage a high-tech, highly customized chemical matrix. This introduces new opportunities for sustainability while altering the traditional rules of procurement, jobsite execution, and contract liability.
It wasn’t too long ago when an environmental product declaration (EPD) for concrete was rare. It was a specialized document used mainly for LEED projects. Over time, more and more projects have begun asking for EPDs, so accuracy in the information is critical.
Courtesy of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
The change has been inspired by institutional shifts like “Buy Clean” federal and state regulations, updated tech-based construction requirements, and corporate carbon-reduction mandates. EPDs have increasingly become part of procurement requirements for public-sector, institutional and private sustainability-focused projects. What controls these declarations are product category rules (PCRs) — fundamental guidelines used to generate EPDs.
As such, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) released an updated PCR for concrete, "NSF 1112-26 – Product Category Rule for Environmental Product Declarations: Concrete, Version 3" – published by NSF International. This PCR is valid through April 30, 2031.
The revision provides important updates for clarity, better harmonization with upstream PCRs, and improved guidance on portable batch plants versus mobile volumetric mixers. It also continues to support the development of consistent, high-quality cradle-to-gate (A1–A3) EPDs, with an optional A4 module, for ready mixed concrete.
“These rules are essential for the industry to deliver transparent and credible environmental data to designers, owners and policymakers who are increasingly focused on the sustainability performance of building materials,” says Tiffany Reed-Villarreal, P.E., NRMCA Director, sustainability, codes and standards.
The PCR was developed through a consensus process involving governmental agencies, industry producers, trade associations, end users, environmental groups, and life cycle analysis (LCA) experts with oversight by an independent review panel. The Association has actively supported this effort to ensure the standard meets the needs of ready-mixed concrete producers across North America.
This version of the PCR will also serve as the basis for the NRMCA Member Industry-Average EPD for Ready Mixed Concrete.
Compared to earlier versions, Version 3 (NSF 1112-26):
- Expands the scope and definitions
- Adds new EPD definitions
- Incorporates newer SCM and cement technologies
- Improves treatment of portable plants and volumetric mixers
- Updates transportation assumptions
- Enhances data quality requirements
- Adds renewable electricity accounting guidance
- Updates background data requirements and references
Expected impacts to concrete contractors will be through the upcoming industry-wide and regional carbon benchmarks. “To hit these tighter baselines, the supply chain is moving fast toward an array of alternative materials,” says Michael Wymant MEB, LEED AP, vice president of building innovations and veteran of sustainable construction. "Contractors must adapt to an entirely new risk and operational profile.”
While the PCR doesn’t give the concrete contractor anything directly, it serves as an invisible backbone to allow them to win work. Wymant explains that an updated PCR means that the NRMCA is revising the standard “accounting manual” for how environmental impacts are calculated. For concrete, a PCR specifies the exact mathematical rules, boundaries, and variables required to build an EPD.
“Updating [a PCR] ensures that the rules align with modern manufacturing practices, updated environmental data, materials, and newer measurement standards,” he says.
In other words, they create a level playing field. Every ready-mix producer producing EPDs must use the same PCR rules to create their mix-specific EPD. Through this, contractors can prove to agencies, owners, architects, and structural engineers the carbon footprint of their concrete mix. In this instance, all contractors bidding on the job are equalized and are using accurate accounting information.
A PCR unlocks government contracts and access to projects requiring EPDs. According to Wymant, “under federal and state ‘Buy Clean’ laws, contractors cannot bid on public infrastructure projects without submitting an EPD that was created using the most current, valid PCR.”
Courtesy of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
How a PCR Is Updated
Industry-average EPDs are developed using data from multiple participating producers and provide a benchmark representing typical industry performance.
Updating a PCR isn’t as easy as apprising the language. It’s highly complex and requires a collaborative effort from multiple stakeholders throughout the concrete supply chain and beyond. The latest revision (V3) is the outcome of two years of work from October 2023 to May 2026 with the consensus of experts. Version 3 underwent committee review and independent review before publication. The process was managed by NSF International and supported by the National Ready-mix Concrete Association.
“Discussions focus on improving accuracy, transparency, data quality requirements, and alignment with evolving ISO standards,” says Reed-Villarreal. “[The conversation] involves fierce but constructive debate and typically centers around data equity — ensuring that the rules don't unfairly penalize certain types of plants or regional materials while maintaining rigorous scientific integrity.”
What Drove the Update
Reporting practices have changed since the 2012 original publication. In conjunction with ensuring future EPDs remain credible, several factors drove the update:
- Alignment with newer upstream PCRs and industry standards,
- Incorporation of newer materials and technologies,
- Clarification of modeling requirements,
- Improved consistency across the supply chain, and
- Support for emerging market requirements related to embodied carbon and environmental reporting.
The overall intent was to reflect how the industry and environmental reporting practices have evolved since the original PCR.
“Part of the modernization of Version 3 was clarifying life-cycle modeling and boundary requirements for the standard ready-mix concrete lifecycle. “Crucially,” explains Wymant, “NSF 1112-26 introduced clear, separate guidance for portable batch plants versus mobile volumetric mixers.” Additionally, data inputs were updated to improve synchronization with new PCRs for cements (portland, blended hydraulic, and slag).
Concrete Takeaway
This effort will be largely invisible for the day-to-day contractor as the changes affect upstream processes. For example, as EPDs created under PCR version 2.3 expire, contractors will need to request an up-to-date V3-compliant version from ready-mix suppliers for upcoming projects.
The update should also allow contractors that utilize mobile volumetric mixers or portable batch plants to compete in low-carbon project biddings where they previously lacked a clear calculation path, explains Wymant.
For those working toward LEED certification, “EPDs are now a prerequisite tool (for LEED v5) used to quantify embodied carbon under the Materials and Resources section,” says Wymant. “But points are awarded for demonstrated carbon reductions. Industry-average EPDs establish the benchmark, while product-specific EPDs help project teams show that the materials they are purchasing perform better than that benchmark.”
The biggest takeaway is that this revision is about credibility and consistency. It’s important to understand that ready-mix producers are at the mercy of the supply chain and that the “scores” for standard mixes may change. “Because Version 3 demands tighter data consistency from cement and aggregate suppliers, ready-mix producers may see the carbon ‘scores’ of their standard mixes fluctuate slightly up or down through no fault of their own — simply because the raw material accounting rules became more precise.”
Contractors should engage ready-mix producers early to avoid potential bottlenecks during bidding and project delivery and ask suppliers and EPD providers about their plans for transitioning to Version 3-compliant EPDs.
Contractors who want more information about the Concrete PCR or further details on NRMCA’s sustainability codes and standards activities are encouraged to contact Tiffany Reed-Villarreal at [email protected].
The Association presented a webinar on this very subject, “The New Concrete PCR, Industry-Wide EPD and Benchmark Report”, which can be found on-demand at ConcreteInnovations.com/on-demand.
NRMCA Resources
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