NSF 342 Accepted as LEED Pilot Credit
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has cited wallcoverings certified to the NSF/ANSI 342 Sustainability Standard for Wallcovering as eligible for credits under LEED® v4. Certified products qualify for a possible one point under the Pilot Credit entitled Certified Multi-attribute Products and Materials. The intent of the Pilot Credit is “to encourage the use of products and materials for which life-cycle information is available and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-cycle impacts,” according to USGBC.
Wallcoverings covered by NSF/ANSI 342 include textiles, vinyl, vinyl coated, alternative polymer, alternative polymer coated, paper and natural fiber products. The standard evaluates criteria across the product life cycle, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life management. Unique to this standard is the requirement that both manufacturer and distributor qualify in order for the product to carry the certification.
“We are pleased that USGBC has expanded LEED to include NSF/ANSI 342 as an accepted certification program,” said Sean Samet, Executive Director for the Wallcoverings Association. “The wallcoverings industry is continually working to reduce the environmental impact of its products, and is proud of the industry-wide effort that developed this multi-attribute standard. The third-party certification provides accountability and transparency to all aspects of the product’s manufacture and distribution.”
For more information, contact the WA at (312) 321-5166 or visit wallcoverings.org.
About the Wallcoverings Association
The Wallcoverings Association (www.wallcoverings.org) is a member-based, not-for-profit organization focused on manufacturing, distributing and overall sales within the wallcoverings industry. WA is active in developing and maintaining industry standards including NSF/ANSI 342, a first-of-its-kind, third-party certification for sustainable wallcoverings. WA provides a vehicle for communication across segments of the wallcoverings industry, while educating consumers, designers and specifiers about the use of wallcoverings in the commercial and residential markets.
