February 3, 2015
Mutual recognition offers manufacturers a simpler entry to global marketplace
MARIETTA, Ga., Feb. 03, 2015 —UL Environment, a business division of UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Supply Chain & Sustainability, today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to jointly recognize each other’s Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
UL is partnering with global leaders like BRE in this endeavor to further the organizations’ joint goals of supporting best practices in transparency between program operators and to promote comparability of EPD in the marketplace worldwide.
Manufacturers using an agreed-upon Product Category Rule (PCR) in addition to the EN 15804 core to develop their Life Cycle Assessment, and then undergoing EPD certification by either UL or BRE Global, will have an EPD that now is globally recognized with increased market visibility, and can qualify for green building system credits worldwide.
“As the demand for product transparency grows, we are always seeking to enhance comparability of products and simplify purchasing and specification decisions. Mutual recognition EPDs accomplish this, while also making it easier for manufacturers to go to market globally,” said Lisa Meier, vice president and general manager of UL Environment.
David Richardson, Director of BRE’s Centre for Sustainable Products said, “This is an increasingly important area for the construction industry and one that both UL and ourselves will work together on to enable manufacturers to demonstrate their credentials to a global market.”
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