UL Environment Establishes EPD Program

UL Environment is launching its own Environmental Product Declaration EPD Program to evaluate the environmental claims of products, which will provide documentation of an audited life cycle assessment of the environmental performance of a product, based on product category rules in accordance with ISO 14025 guidelines.

UL Environment’s EPD program aims to provide structure and global scale for comparative cradle-to-grave assessments of products across multiple categories. Initial product categories that have expressed interest in this type of program include building products, lighting and textiles, according to the company.

The program development follows on the heels of a recent study conducted for UL Environment by sustainability consulting firm MindClick SGM which revealed that 90 percent of architects and designers have researched, specified or purchased green products in the past year.

“With more than 300 certifications and eco-labels on the market, determining which products are truly green is next to impossible. Our EPD service will add credibility and alleviate market confusion by helping purchasers make informed decisions,” said Stephen Wenc, president of UL Environment.

According to their research, almost 75 percent of architects and designers sited the comprehensive evaluation of a product’s environmental impact as being absolutely essential in specifying a green product.

The announcement follows an October 2010 approval as third-party certification body for the federal Energy Star energy efficiency program, as well as its publication of ULE ISR 100, setting  standard requirements for environmentally preferable gypsum wall board and panels.

UL Environment is also working on an organization-wide sustainability standard.

UL Environment’s other standards programs include Environmental Claims Validation (ECV), Sustainable Products Certification (SPC), Energy Efficiency Certification (EEC), and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).