Ann Arbor, Mich. – NSF Sustainability, a division of global independent public health organization NSF International, has verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for J+J Flooring Group’s Kinetex flooring product and Invision brand modular styles that use eKo backing. EPDs are essential transparent product environmental attribute reports used by government purchasers, green builders, architects and interior designers to make more informed product decisions in selecting carpet and flooring products that meet their environmental purchasing goals.
“EPDs benefit us as well as our customers. The rigor of completing an EPD helps us pinpoint where our materials and processes have the most environmental impact, allowing us to continue to move toward solutions with a smaller footprint,” said Russ Delozier, director of sustainability, J+J Flooring Group. “Externally, these EPDs allow our customers to make more environmentally educated decisions regarding the flooring products they buy.”
NSF Sustainability provides independent and science-based verification of EPDs, which offer an international standard of communicating a product’s environmental impact throughout its entire life cycle from cradle to grave. EPDs are recognized globally, and as a preferred reporting tool in the new LEED V4 Green Building
Rating System Standard Drafts expected out later this year. J+J Flooring Group expects to register additional EPDs that will cover up to 95 percent of its product line in the coming months.
“By releasing an NSF Sustainability-verified EPD for their Kinetex and eKo Modular products, J+J Flooring Group is taking an important step in providing science-based environmental information about their products. Their customers also benefit from data that is objective, neutral and transparent,” said Tom Bruursema, general manager of NSF International’s sustainability division.
Kinetex is an advanced textile composite flooring that provides an alternative to hard-surface products and contains at least 50 percent recycled content. Invision’s eKo modular backing is PVC-free, contains recycled content and provides closed-loop recyclability. Both products are also certified to the Platinum level of NSF/ANSI140, the American national standard for sustainable carpet.
The NSF National Center for Sustainability Standards (NCSS) facilitated the development of the flooring Product Category Rule (PCR) utilizing an open consultative process with participation from an expert panel of floor manufacturers, suppliers, regulatory agencies, life cycle practitioners, trade associations and end users. PCRs define which data is used in a life cycle assessment (LCA) and how the data is collected and reported in the resulting EPD. The LCA measures inputs, outputs and environmental impacts of a product across its lifespan from cradle to grave.
The NCSS has developed PCRs and American National Sustainability Standards for a wide range of product categories, including chemicals, commercial and institutional furniture, carpets, wallcovering, textiles, flooring, building products and materials, and is developing others for broad industries including water treatment products and chemicals.
NSF Sustainability helps companies build a portfolio of sustainable products and spans the complete PCR/LCA/EPD process. NSF can support PCR development, verify LCA and EPD data, and provide third-party verification of final EPD reports. Other LCA-based programs include Carbonfree product certification, which allows companies to demonstrate the carbon neutrality of their products.