Solutions · EPD audit
Cortex checks EPD submission dossiers for compliance issues before the registration decision — across format, PCR alignment, numerical plausibility, CPR 2024/3110 readiness, tool provenance, and verifier quality. Every finding cites the normative clause and quotes the passage from the EPD that triggered it.
What gets checked
Cortex checks EPD dossiers against ISO 14025, EN 15804+A2, the applicable PCR, and EU CPR 2024/3110. Each finding includes the normative clause that applies, the exact passage from the EPD document that triggered it, and a specific question to put to the applicant or verifier. Not "issue found" — but what the standard requires, what the EPD says, and where they diverge.
All mandatory fields and documentation required by ISO 14025 §7 are checked for presence and completeness. Missing declarations, incomplete administrative metadata, and absent programme-specific fields are surfaced before the dossier advances.
EPD claims are checked against the applicable Product Category Rules and EN 15804+A2 — covering declared scope, system boundary definition, declared unit, and module coverage. Where the EPD makes a claim that the PCR constrains, the constraint is cited.
Declared GWP and impact values are benchmarked against reference ranges and HiQLCD data for the product category. Values that fall outside the expected range are flagged — not silently accepted. An EPD that declares a value 10× lower than comparable products is a finding, even if the format is correct.
Modules required under CPR 2024/3110 are checked for presence and completeness. Phase 1 deadline readiness is reported explicitly — not inferred from whether the EPD is currently compliant, but from whether it would satisfy upcoming requirements.
Where the EPD was generated by a pre-verified tool, Cortex checks the tool version and the embedded LCA database vintage against the current approved list. An EPD produced with an outdated tool version or a superseded database is flagged.
The verification report is checked for completeness and independence. Systematic patterns — such as a verifier issuing recommendations when their scope is limited to checking — are flagged. Verifier quality findings accumulate across submissions for programme-level monitoring.
Where the applicant has prior EPDs in the same product family, major value changes between submissions are flagged for explanation. Unexplained step-changes in declared GWP across an applicant's portfolio are a finding, not background noise.
The audit report
The audit produces two outputs, generated from the same reviewed set of findings.
Branded PDF report. The cover states the audit verdict — Pass, Flag, or Fail — and the finding counts by severity. Each finding in the body shows: the normative clause cited, the exact passage from the EPD that triggered the finding, and a specific question to put to the applicant or verifier. The report is formatted for use in registration correspondence and can be issued to the applicant directly.
Excel workbook. All findings in a sortable table — by severity (Critical / Warning / Info), check group, and product. Designed for internal Programme Operator use: batch screening across a publication cycle, auditor QA, and tracking applicant responses. Findings can be filtered to show only Critical items, or grouped by check category for pattern analysis across the submission pool.
Risk grading follows three levels. Critical — must be resolved before registration can proceed. Warning — flagged for Programme Operator review; the PO decides whether to require a response. Info — noted for the applicant's awareness; no action required for registration.
Audit depth
The audit runs on whatever documents are available. An EPD alone enables a surface check. A complete dossier enables a comprehensive review. Cortex states which depth level is active and which checks were not possible given the available documents — the Programme Operator always knows what was and was not reviewed.
Surface check
Completeness check against ISO 14025 mandatory fields, CPR module readiness, and numerical plausibility against reference ranges. Suitable for initial screening of incoming submissions.
Standard check
Adds PCR alignment — declared unit, system boundary, scope, and module coverage checked against the PCR text. The most common configuration for registered EPD review.
Deep check
Adds methodology review and data source checks from the background study. Impact category coverage, characterization factors, and data source vintage are checked against stated methodology.
Comprehensive
All checks, including verifier quality review. The verification report is read in parallel with the EPD; any claim in the EPD that the verifier did not address, or any recommendation outside the verifier's defined scope, becomes a finding.
Mandatory stops
These are not configurable thresholds. They describe how the audit behaves regardless of context — the Programme Operator can accept a risk, but Cortex does not adjust the finding to make that easier.
No auto-registration for Critical findings
A finding graded Critical blocks the audit verdict from Pass. Cortex does not silently downgrade severity based on context — the check definition sets the baseline, and the Programme Operator decides whether to accept the risk.
Plausibility checked against reference data, not just declared
Declared GWP values are benchmarked against HiQLCD reference data and product-category ranges, not just checked for presence. An EPD that declares a value 10× lower than comparable products is flagged — even if the format is correct.
Process-certified EPDs receive tighter scrutiny
When an EPD is process-certified rather than individually verified, Cortex applies more conservative thresholds. Without an independent verifier reviewing the specific submission, the audit becomes the primary quality gate.
CPR forward-look included
Beyond current compliance, the report flags upcoming CPR requirements — so Programme Operators and applicants can prepare ahead of deadlines, not just check against what is required today.
Registration decisions on record. Not just a verdict — a chain of evidence.
Cortex Cowork is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. EPD dossiers are processed locally — documents stay on the machine, not uploaded to a server.