ASTM consortium on green-building

On 13 April, a consortium in the green-building industry, which was the first of its kind, convened 15 manufacturers and industry representatives from around the world to hear their needs for enhancing product transparency and stewardship through effective product category rules (PCRs), life cycle assessment reports (LCAs) , environmental product declarations (EPDs) and next generation product transparency solutions including Sustainable Minds Transparency Reports.

The manufacturer’s roundtable was held in conjunction with an ASTM International conference attended by top technical experts in sustainability, building performance and other industries.

In addition to ASTM, the Program Operator Consortium includes NSF International, ICC Evaluation Service, and Sustainable Minds. The group launched in 2015 to serve as an expert resource and advocate for creating PCRs, for reviewing LCAs, and for verifying and publishing environmental declarations.

During the roundtable, the consortium announced that four of its members have now aligned how they develop PCRs and declarations, providing greater flexibility and visibility for manufacturers and decision-makers who are tasked with finding, comparing and selecting products for projects.

“What we heard today was that as the demand for environmental stewardship across the green building industry increases, the need for consistent, standardised, and scalable solutions grows in tandem,” said Tim Brooke, Vice President, ASTM International. “That’s exactly what our four organisations are aiming to address as we communicate and deliver the value of voluntary product stewardship.”

On May 1, the consortium will launch www.programoperators.org, where manufacturers, design professionals, specifiers and others can learn about product transparency, the consortium’s approach, and industry educational events.

Adapted from press release by Rebecca Bowden

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/14042016/astm-consortium-in-green-building-898/