Construction and design professionals can more easily find and use sustainable building materials with product-specific environmental product declarations (EPDs).
Some construction materials vendors are making such specific information readily available. For example, two flooring manufacturers, Tarkett, with a new product catalog, and Gerflor USA, with new product-specific environmental product declarations (EPDs), have addressed this need.
Gerflor has published product-specific EPDs for all of its commercial flooring brands including Mipolam, Taraflex, Taralay and Creation LVT. Product-specific EPDs allow architects and designers to more quickly and efficiently earn a LEED v4 credit in the Materials & Resources category, according to Gerflor.
Tarkett, in partnership with Sustainable Minds, has launched the SM Transparency Catalog. The catalog includes sustainability information on more than 850 Tarkett products. EPDs provide a comprehensive overview of a product’s environmental impact.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Dec 14, 2016
Cities must invest $375 billion to avoid catastrophic global climate change
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group advocates low carbon infrastructure.
Codes and Standards | Dec 14, 2016
Resilient construction techniques pay for themselves over lifetime of buildings
Spending $340,000 for resiliency would pay for itself over the lifetime of a $10 million structure.
Codes and Standards | Dec 12, 2016
Dept. of Energy launches program to advance zero energy school design
Six school districts and two states are among the first to mainstream zero energy schools.
Codes and Standards | Dec 9, 2016
California city’s plan for net zero building includes net zero water usage
Santa Monica city services building aims for highest level of sustainability.
Codes and Standards | Dec 8, 2016
WELL and BREEAM to align standards
The goal is to make it easier for projects pursuing both standards.
Codes and Standards | Dec 7, 2016
U.S. lumber industry pushes for import duties on Canadian softwood
The industry claims the product is being sold below fair market value.
Codes and Standards | Dec 5, 2016
International Construction Measurement Standards draft released
The goal is to improve consistency for calculating costs and reducing risk.
Codes and Standards | Dec 2, 2016
D.C. Council passes bill to reduce number of blighted properties
The new legislation reduces the amount of time a vacant property can qualify for a lower tax rate.
Codes and Standards | Dec 1, 2016
Passive House standard gaining influence in commercial sector
Some industry watchers predict it will become the base building code.
Codes and Standards | Nov 30, 2016
Researchers finding solutions to bird/building collisions
Glass facades pose a serious risk to birds and cause millions of avian deaths each year.