Contractors as Carbon Catalysts: Innovating EPDs for Prefabricated Wall Systems

Contractors can be carbon catalysts, especially at the building skin. Prefabricated exterior wall panel assemblies are complex, multi‑material products that historically fell through the cracks of existing PCRs, limiting credible embodied‑carbon disclosure. This session tells the story of how Digital Building Components (DBC) and DPR partnered with Sustainable Minds to create a new Part B PCR for prefabricated exterior panels and then execute product‑specific EPDs, turning a standards gap into a practical pathway for Meta’s decarbonization goals.

This session outlines a structured pathway to define product group scope, align with adjacent PCRs, and streamline supplier data collection for multi-material assemblies. We’ll demonstrate how LCAs aligned with International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14025) and EN 15804 ensure credible, comparable EPD results. Prefabrication delivers measurable value to both owners and general contractors by reducing embodied carbon while improving cost certainty and schedule reliability. Owners gain clearer GWP benchmarking, enforceable specification targets, and alignment with disclosure frameworks such as Meta Net Zero expectations. Contractors learn where to invest (supplier engagement, fabrication energy tracking, transport optimization, and quality control) to accelerate adoption and reduce risk. Attendees leave with a replicable roadmap and procurement levers to scale prefabrication and drive carbon reduction at scale.