Green AI, EGBC: Industry Leaders Signal What’s Next for Sustainability — and It’s Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

We recently had the opportunity to attend a landmark event co-hosted by Green AI and the Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC), bringing together developers, manufacturers, and service providers from across the MENA region. Most of the participants are leaders in their respective sectors, offering sharp insight into the trajectory of sustainable development in our region.

The conversation centered on one critical topic: Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

Sustainability frameworks have evolved rapidly over the past decade, expanding in scope and influence. These frameworks have been instrumental in driving macro-level impact — from city planning to building design — helping reduce our collective environmental footprint. But as the field matures, attention is shifting toward a more granular focus: the materials themselves.

We’ve always known that real environmental change starts at the source. It’s no longer enough to evaluate the performance of a finished product or building — we need to understand the impact of the entire supply chain. EPDs provide this transparency. They allow us to quantify and communicate a product’s full lifecycle impact, enabling more informed decisions and more accurate carbon accounting.

While EPDs are not yet mandatory, it is becoming increasingly clear that the leading sustainability frameworks — the very ones that have shaped our industry — are beginning to prioritize them. Regulatory momentum is building. It’s expected to begin with public-sector mandates and ripple outward into the private sector, eventually influencing procurement, trade, and compliance norms across industries.

The message is clear: manufacturers and developers who delay integrating EPDs into their operations risk falling behind. As the market shifts, those without transparency in their materials will find themselves playing catch-up in a landscape that’s already evolving.

Learn more about how to acquire an EPD here.