Product Benchmarking for design and construction teams
Product Benchmarking lets you compare construction products side by side before you specify them, using verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) data from Materials Compass. You pick one baseline product, add the products you want to compare it with, and see how they rank across environmental indicators and life cycle modules A1 to A3.
Every benchmark uses one EPD standard, so you only compare results calculated under the same rules. You save each benchmark, return to it later, and export the results for reports and presentations.
Who can use Product Benchmarking
Product Benchmarking is part of the Sustainability Intelligence Pack, an add-on for architecture, engineering, and construction organizations. The pack also includes Project Portfolio Analytics and Product Specification Analytics.
Product Benchmarking uses EPD data from Materials Compass, which is included with your One Click LCA license. You do not need a separate Materials Compass license.
If you do not see Product Benchmarking in your account, contact your account manager.
How a benchmark works
Each benchmark uses one EPD standard, for example EN 15804+A2, EN 15804+A1, or TRACI 2.1. You choose it when you create the benchmark, and you can then add any product declared under that standard. Results calculated under different standards are not directly comparable, so they never appear in the same benchmark.
One product in the benchmark is the baseline: the product you specified, proposed, or want to measure others against. The results highlight it so you can read every other product against it.
Create a benchmark
In the top navigation, go to Analytics > Market intelligence > Product benchmarking, then select Create benchmark.
Enter a name for the benchmark. Choose a name your colleagues will recognize, for example the product category and project.
Select the applicable EPD standard, for example EN 15804+A2.
Add the products you want to compare. Filter the list, then either add products one at a time or select Add All to add every product in the filtered list. You can add any product declared under the standard you chose.
Select Create benchmark again to create the benchmark.
Then open the benchmark and select the baseline product, usually the product you specified or are considering.
Read your results
Choose an indicator. Switch between GWP, ODP, AP, EP, POCP, and every other indicator Materials Compass supports. The results update for the indicator you choose.
Compare module results. The benchmark shows results for modules A1, A2, and A3 for the selected indicator. The baseline is highlighted so you can read every other product against it.
See the ranking. KPI cards show where the baseline ranks, its value, and its percentage difference from the best performer. Graphs mark the best, worst, median, and average values.
Pick a view.
Simple table: core indicators side by side, with tags, manufacturer logos, and country flags
Advanced table: all indicators, metadata, available life cycle stages, and verification details
Side by side: product images, attributes, indicators, and life cycle stages next to each other
Use the column manager to choose which indicators and attributes appear. Where data allows, switch the comparison unit between kg, m², and m³.
Use the graphs.
Key impact comparison: a dot plot per indicator with best, worst, median, and average values
Radar chart: the impact profile of the products you select
Life cycle stage comparison: a grouped bar chart by product and module
Check popularity. The Popularity Index shows how often each product's EPD is used on the One Click LCA platform in a region, based on aggregated usage.
Open the full EPD. Select any product to open its page in Materials Compass, with the complete EPD, documentation, and metadata.
Edit and reuse a benchmark
All saved benchmarks appear on the benchmark homepage, with the number of products, the baseline product, its GWP, and who created the benchmark and when.
Add products later. Open a benchmark and add new comparison products at any time, for example a product a supplier proposes as a substitute.
Change the baseline. Open a benchmark and select a new baseline product at any time, for example to read the other products against a proposed substitute.
Tag benchmarks and products. Add an optional tag to a benchmark or a comparison product to keep large sets organized.
Benchmarks belong to your organization. Colleagues in your organization can use them; no other organization can see them.
Export results
Export a benchmark to reuse it outside One Click LCA:
Excel or CSV for the data
Images of the graphs for slides, reports, and design reviews
Common uses
If you are | Use Product Benchmarking to |
A sustainability consultant or LCA specialist | Compare the options for a product category and show your client why you recommend one |
An architect or specifier | Find the lower-impact product early, before the specification is fixed |
A procurement or specification manager | Set the specified product as the baseline, add the proposed substitute, and see the difference before you accept the swap |
A Head of Sustainability | Give every team the same saved comparisons, so material advice is consistent across projects |
Limitations
EPDs in Materials Compass only. You can benchmark products whose EPDs are in the One Click LCA database. Products without an EPD there do not appear in the search.
One standard per benchmark. Products declared under a different standard cannot join the same benchmark. Comparison across standards is on the roadmap.
Modules A1 to A3. Results cover the product stage. Coverage of all life cycle stages is on the roadmap.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find a product in the comparison search?
The search shows only products declared under the EPD standard you chose for the benchmark. Check the standard, then search again. If the product has no EPD in Materials Compass, it cannot be added.
Can other organizations see my benchmarks?
No. Benchmarks are stored for your organization only. Other organizations, including manufacturers whose products you compare, cannot see which products you benchmarked or how you tagged them.
How is this different from Materials Compass?
Materials Compass is where you search for and read EPDs. Product Benchmarking builds on it: a saved, named comparison with one standard, a baseline product, rankings, graphs, and exports. Every product links back to its Materials Compass page.
Can I compare products declared under EN 15804+A1 and EN 15804+A2?
Not in the same benchmark. Results calculated under different standards are not directly comparable, so each benchmark uses one standard.
Which life cycle modules are included?
Modules A1, A2, and A3 for every indicator Materials Compass supports.
Can I use a benchmark to check a substitution?
Yes. Set the specified product as the baseline and add the proposed substitute. The benchmark shows the difference for each indicator.
How do I get access?
Product Benchmarking is included in the Sustainability Intelligence Pack. Contact your account manager to add the pack to your license.