Driving Performance and Transparency in Green Building Products

In just a few short years, the use of environmentally preferable products and materials has become an essential element in the development and construction of new commercial and residential building projects. However, questions remain among manufacturers and buyers about just how to evaluate and compare the lifecycle-based environmental profiles of similar building products and materials. Various mechanisms, from eco-labels and environmental product certifications to lifecycle assessments (LCAs) and environmental product declarations (EPDs), are available and act as an important part of a larger "toolkit." This UL white paper provides an overview of the various ways in which building product manufacturers can demonstrate compliance with green building certification programs and codes, and how to best utilize each available mechanism in this toolkit.