Washington—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Underwriter Laboratories have formed an exclusive strategic partnership centered on building product transparency and occupant health and safety.
The partnership, the first of its kind in the building and certification industry, will roll out several targeted initiatives focused on increasing disclosure, awareness and transparency of building product composition and the manufacturing processes.
The goal, the groups said, is to accelerate market transformation and the overall quality and performance of buildings. The first initiative is the creation of a joint Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) to increase transparency in building materials and products that are being used in homes, schools, hospitals and other structures.
“UL is the foremost established leader in the EPD field and is uniquely positioned to provide third party assurance for the LEED green building program,” said USGBC president, CEO & founding chair, Rick Fedrizzi. “We’re thrilled to engage in this partnership which we believe will make a great impact across the market—both for manufacturers that want to establish themselves as leaders in the marketplace and for consumers who are increasingly demanding transparency in what is being used to construct and maintain the places where they live, learn, work and play.”