Sustainability
The term Sustainability was coined over 300 years ago by forestry expert Hans Carl von Carlowitz. He defined sustainability as harvesting only as much as can be regrown in nature. It is the ability to maintain ecological balance and maintain quality of life for future generations.
Sustainable practices apply across all aspects of life, including construction. Leading green building certification programs such as LEED provide a framework for designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining environmentally responsible buildings.
Third-party programs independently assess products and certify compliance with sustainability standards required by programs such as LEED.
Recognized Certifications and Standards
EPD (Environmental Product Declaration)
Verified documentation outlining environmental impacts of a product based on life-cycle assessment.
HPD (Health Product Declaration)
Full disclosure of potential health impacts of product ingredients.
Red List
List of prohibited or restricted chemicals and materials.
B Corp
Certification for inclusive and regenerative business practices.
IgCC (ASHRAE 189.1)
Model building code governing environmental impact.
Declare
Ingredient transparency platform for manufacturers.
LEED
Building certification system by US Green Building Council.
WELL v2
Standard focused on health impacts of built environments.
FloorScore
​Indoor air quality certification for flooring and related materials.
Green Squared
Sustainability standard for tile and installation products.
BREEAM
Sustainability assessment method for infrastructure and buildings.
Cradle to Cradle
Multi-attribute sustainability standard.
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Cradle to Cradle
Multi-attribute sustainability standard.
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