Buy Clean California (BCCA) Program

This page contains details about the University of California's requirements for participation in the Buy Clean California Act

Buy Clean California Act Program

The Buy Clean California Act (BCCA) was enacted in October 2017 in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions released during the manufacture and transport of products used in public infrastructure projects. UC requires collection of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for eligible materials (carbon steel rebar, structural steel, flat glass, and mineral wool board insulation) on construction contracts of $1,000,000 and above, entered into on or after July 1, 2022.

Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

The BCCA requires submittal of environmental product declarations (EPDs) for eligible materials or products, including carbon steel rebar, structural steel, flat glass, and mineral wool board insulation.

For qualifying projects with contracts signed on or after July 1, 2022, contractors must submit facility-specific material or product EPDs before the material will be approved for installation. The EPD must show that the global-warming potential of the material or product is less than or equal to the most current global-warming potential (GWP) threshold values published by the Department of General Services (DGS).

Materials with EPDs greater than the threshold value cannot be used on qualifying projects unless the projects fall under the approved Exemption list as defined below and have an approved Waiver. If the contractor fails to both provide an EPD for an eligible material and receive University approval, installation may not proceed and compensation may be withheld, and/or the contractor may be liable for all costs associated with removal of an eligible material installed prior to University review and approval.

Key components of EPDs include:

  • Facility and Manufacturer specific
  • Current timeframe for Product Category Rule (PCR)
  • Lists GWP and meets DGS requirements

Eligible Materials

  1. Structural Steel – Includes all of the following:
  • Hot-rolled sections consisting of wide flange beams (W-shape and HP-shape used in structural applications), standard beams (S-shape), misc. beams (M-shape), channels, angles, and tees.
  • Hollow structural sections with round, square, or rectangular cross-section.
  • Plate material.
  1. Concrete Reinforcing Steel - Includes all of the following:
  • carbon steel bars (ASTM A615/A615M standard specification)
  • low-alloy steel bars (ASTM A706/A706M standard specification)
  • zinc-coated steel bars (ASTM A767/A767M standard specification)
  • epoxy-coated steel bars (ASTM A775/A775M standard specification)
  1. Flat glass - Float or rolled glass that is clear or tinted.

Flat glass includes clear and tinted flat glazing products provided by themselves or in an assembled unit. It does not include coated, tempered or laminated flat glazing products provided by themselves or in an assembled unit. 

  1. Mineral Wool Board Insulation - Board insulation made of rock or slag in light and heavy density types.
  • Light-density mineral wool board insulation - 2.5 lbs/ft3 – 4.3 lbs/ft3
  • Heavy-density mineral wool board insulation - 4.4 lbs/ft3 – 8 lbs/ft3

Product Category Rules

A Product Category Rule (PCR) is a set of rules, requirements and guidelines used to develop an EPD for a product group. Both EPDs and PCRs have time periods of validity which are defined when they are published. Contractors are to use the PCR in effect on the date of the Notice to Proceed (NTP) for Construction unless otherwise authorized. Where a product category rule for material or product has expired without replacement as of the NTP of construction, submit a waiver or the specified product. 

Material or Product

Applicable PCR

Range of Applicability

Carbon Steel Rebar and Structural Steel

Product Category Rule (PCR) Guidance for Building-Related Products and Services Part B: Designated Steel Construction Product EPD Requirements

August 2025

Flat Glass

GANA Product Category Rule for Flat Glass - UN CPC 3711(PDF)

 

September 30, 2025

 

Mineral Wool Board Insulation

Product Category Rule (PCR) Guidance for Building-Related Products and Services Part B: Building Envelope Thermal Insulation EPD Requirements

February, 2023

Eligible Projects for University of California

EPDs are only required on eligible materials for construction contracts $1,000,000 and above.

Exemptions

For any contract at or over $1,000,000, a campus must either submit EPDs or an Exemption Form for each eligible material. A campus must submit a UC BCCA Exemption Form to UCOP for approval if it intends to apply for an Exemption. Other exemptions may be approved on a case-by-case basis after a campus submits an Exception form to UCOP.

The University of California permits the below exemptions to the Buy Clean California Act upon submission and approval of the UC BCCA Exemptions Form:

  1. Technically Infeasible

If providing an EPD for an eligible material would be “technically infeasible,” then one will not be required (Exemption).   Below would be two examples of technical infeasibility:

  • The EPD is beyond its period of validity and cannot be renewed because the Product Category Rule (PCR) has expired and has not been renewed.
  • The particular material is not covered by the scope of the relevant (PCR), for example, a type of steel that is not included in the (PCR) for structural steel.
  1. Significant Increase in Project Cost

 If producing and/or obtaining an EPD would cause a significant increase in project cost relative to the cost of the eligible material being used in the project, then the product will be exempted upon submission and approval of the Exemption Form. UC has approved the following de minimus thresholds for submission of an EPD:

  • An EPD is not required if the total material cost for any covered product is less than $25,000. This cost shall be clearly broken out in the submitted Schedule of Values.
  1. Significant Time Delay

 In cases where the time required to develop and publish the EPD is significant relative to the duration of the project, the product will be exempted upon submission and approval of the Exemption Form.

  1. One Source for Material (Sole Source)

Exemption is allowed where there is only one viable material supplier in order to allow for competitive pricing. Examples are where no other producers or vendors have made EPDs available or do not meet the GWP threshold.

  1. Emergency

An emergency, as defined in PCC 1102, may be used as the basis of an exception request.

Submission Process

Contractors must submit facility-specific material or product EPDs to their UC Project Manager before the material will be approved for installation. The Design Team/Project Manager will review for compliance. Each campus will forward EPDs to UCOP through the BOX folder. UCOP will be responsible for uploading the EPDs to the DGS website. Further instructions for UC Project Managers can be found in the Box folder. To get access contact mindy.dinh@ucop.edu. 

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