The Importance of Specificity in Third-Party Certifications ... recognized by the various green building certification b
Valid Sustainability Claim or Greenwashing?
The Importance of Specificity in Third‐Party Certifications By: Tad Radzinski, P.E., LEED AP Chief Certification Officer GreenCircle Certified, LLC
Navigating Sustainability Claims Increased emphasis on sustainability and Green Building has created a significant rise in green claims by companies about their products and manufacturing operations. A lack of consistency and poorly defined criteria creates confusion and frustration in distinguishing which claims are legitimate and which are inaccurate, or outright greenwashing. So how do consumers, builders, architects and building owners evaluate the products and companies that make these claims? There are several companies that are certifying sustainability claims such as recycled content, rapidly renewable resource content, low VOC, and other sustainable aspects. These companies are generally reputable, and purchasers who are evaluating various products can feel confident that the third‐party certification body has verified a particular claim. This lends credibility to the claim, and these certifications are recognized by the various green building certification bodies such as the United States Green Building Council and National Association of Homebuilders. Setting a New Standard The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is in the process of updating the Green Guides to provide more specific requirements on the green claims that companies are making. Once the Green Guides are finalized, the FTC is expected to increase enforcement of the Guides for companies that do not comply with the Guides or which are making inaccurate or unsubstantiated green claims. The more rigorous standards and increased enforcement by the FTC is extremely important, and hopefully, will set a new standard for integrity in sustainability claims. Lack of Specificity There are several instances where third‐party certifications have been made for recycled content for multiple product types or families on a United States or North American “average”. These “average” or “blanket” certifications generally do not provide enough specificity to accurately determine the recycled content of specific products, and should not be used for documenting products in green building standards. It is very important for manufacturers, consumers, builders, architects, and building owners to be educated on the importance of specificity and accuracy with third‐party certifications. Some certification bodies publish certifications that are general in nature and not specific enough to provide accurate and credible information.
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The Manufacturing Process and Product Claims Many products are manufactured at multiple locations throughout North America and worldwide. Typically, there are differences in manufacturing processes and the availability and economics of various raw materials among manufacturing plants. Although the same company is producing similar products, these variances could change the “recipe” of a particular product and could significantly impact a particular environmental/green claim for specific locations. Specificity and more clearly defined criteria will offer validity to sustainability claims. In response to consumer demand for environmental responsibility, many manufacturers are making recycled content claims for their products. The amount of recycled content in a specific product can affect if, and how many, points are earned for particular credits or practices in the LEED and NAHB National Green Building Standards. The recycled content of a product is based on a weight percentage and is entirely dependent on all the materials used to manufacture the final product. If it is comprised of multiple materials, then an analysis should be completed by a third‐party certification body to determine the percentage of materials for both pre‐ and post‐ consumer recycled content. “Blanket” Certifications of Fiberglass Insulation Products As mentioned, some sustainability claims are being made for multiple product types or families based on North American “averages” or “blanket” certifications. A specific example is fiberglass insulation products. Fiberglass insulation is typically manufactured with pre‐ and post‐ consumer glass cullet of varying percentages. The insulation is manufactured in a batch process where the various raw materials are melted in a large tank and then fiberized into glass fibers. This batch will have a certain percentage of recycled content and serves as the base material for manufacturing blown‐in, batt and board type insulation products used in buildings. Each of these product families (blown‐in, batt and board) then go through the manufacturing process where binders, facings and adhesives are added to create the particular final product. As these ingredients are added, the recycled content of the final product is changed. A blown‐in fiberglass insulation product typically has very few additional ingredients, so the recycled content percentage is very close to the original batch. A fiberglass batt product will include a binder, and possibly paper or aluminum facings as well as adhesives, which will reduce the overall percentage of recycled content on a weight basis. Fiberglass board products contain even more binder, and possibly facings and adhesives, which will further reduce the overall recycled content of the product. The recycled content of these product families can vary by as much as 5‐20%. Combined with the variability in the manufacturing process among multiple locations, the result is inaccurate and potentially misleading product claims. Fiberglass insulation products should be evaluated and certified on a plant and product family basis, with minimum recycled contents listed for each product family and manufacturing plant Printed on 100% Recycled Paper
to ensure an accurate and credible certification of the recycled content claim. This accuracy is important for both LEED (especially LEED for Homes, which requires fiberglass insulation to contain a minimum of 20% recycled content to classify as an environmentally preferable product) and the NAHB National Green Building Standard, which provides points for recycled content based on various levels of recycled content of the product (25%, 50% and 75%). Integrity in Third‐Party Certification Other products are also certified based on national or plant averages for multiple products or materials. Green Building professionals and certifying bodies should require specific information on a manufacturing plant and product family basis for both third‐party certified or self‐certified claims. Some manufacturers self‐certify rather than obtain third‐party certifications. Self‐certified claims by some manufacturers, which can be questionable and potentially inaccurate, will be a topic for future white papers by GreenCircle Certified, LLC. Today’s consumer demands honesty and integrity from suppliers. Specificity in third‐party certification of sustainability claims is essential in establishing credibility and developing consumer confidence. **************** About the Author Tad Radzinski, P.E., LEED AP, has over 27 years of diversified experience providing sustainable industry services, green building and sustainable community design, as well as project engineering, design and construction management. Tad is a recognized leader in sustainable design and development, and he teaches and speaks extensively on sustainable development and sustainable manufacturing. About GreenCircle Certified, LCC GreenCircle, Certified, LLC is a leading global third‐party certification body offering manufacturers, architects, builders and consumers consistency, transparency and confidence as they navigate a product’s sustainability claim. GreenCircle certifies products with the highest recycled content, rapidly renewable resource content, greatest carbon footprint reductions and renewable energy use. For more information about GreenCircle Certified, LLC and a list of validated GreenCircle products, visit: http://www.greencirclecertified.com.
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