Specifying Responsibly – Tools and resources to make a responsible choice (2/2)

Several local and international industry and government organisations assure the environmental performance of building products and materials by providing product labelling schemes and standards to be met. Those schemes and standards provide businesses with approval and certification on their environmental performance. Examples of those include:

1. Environmental Labels and Declarations (ISO 14025:2006);
2. Sustainability of Construction Works – Environmental Product Declarations (EN 15804);
3. Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA); and
4. Global GreenTag’s GreenRate

Other third-party certification schemes that apply green criteria to specific material types (i.e., wood sourced responsibly from sustainable forests) are typically certified by third-party organisations, such as:

1. Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification – PEFC (PEFC/21-31-24);
2. Forest Stewardship Council – FSC® (FSC-C012688); and
3. Chain of Custody of Wood and Wood-based products (ISO 38200:2018)

EPD is an independent third-party verified and registered document that communicates transparent comparable data and relevant environmental information about the lifecycle environmental impact of a product. Every EPD is based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is an assessment of the product’s environmental impact throughout its various life stages, from material and component sourcing through to final disposal or recycling. LCA is conducted based on a standard set of methods and requirements depending on the product category, enabling the EPD to be used as a platform to compare similar products.

Gaining in acceptance worldwide, green building rating schemes establish overall environmental performance criteria for entire buildings. Such schemes provide rating tools voluntarily to assess and recognise buildings that meet certain green requirements or standards. By formalising design and performance criteria, these rating schemes provide a common language and benchmark for sustainable design. Some of the most internationally recognised schemes include:

1. GreenStar – administered by the Green Building Council in Australia;
2. The WELL Building Standard – run by the International WELL Building Institute; and
3. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) – developed by the non-profit US Green Building Council

Most green building rating schemes will award credits or points for the use of sustainable products and materials that go towards certification. Such schemes will recognise the use of reused materials, recycled-content materials, local or regional materials, renewable materials, certified wood, and low-emitting materials. Points are also awarded for responsible sourcing and supply chain, as well as minimising health risks associated with the manufacture and use of building products.