CertainTeed Publishes Industry-First Cellular PVC Exterior Trim Life Cycle Assessment for Restoration Millwork®
(Valley Forge, Pa.) – CertainTeed Corporation is announcing the availability of an independent life cycle assessment (LCA) for its Restoration Millwork® exterior product line, becoming the first and only cellular polyvinyl chloride (PVC) exterior trim manufacturer to do so. Published through the Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) program, the LCA and the use of pre- and post-consumer recycled content makes Restoration Millwork an ideal choice for green building projects, contributing points for LEED® certification.
Administered by Sustainable Solutions Corporation of Royersford, Pa., the LCA included a cradle-to-grave review of raw material acquisition, manufacturing, transportation and distribution, installation, use, maintenance and end-of-life recycling and final disposal. To provide full transparency and availability, the LCA was submitted to the BEES database for independent review and publication.
“With the completion of the Restoration Millwork analysis, the entire CertainTeed Siding Products Group family — which includes fiber cement, vinyl, polymer and CedarBoards™ insulated siding — is backed by an easily accessible LCA,” says Patti Pellock, senior marketing manager for Restoration Millwork. “We understand the importance of a holistic approach to product environmental impact and are committed to providing the comprehensive data necessary to meet green building requirements.”
An online program designed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), BEES offers transparency and credibility into a product’s performance since data is reviewed and verified by NIST. The BEES system aligns with ISO 14040 series of standards, from the International Standards Organization. Environmental performance results are based on 13 impact categories, such as global warming, ozone depletion and smog.
“Restoration Millwork is a product that showcases CertainTeed’s clear initiatives toward sustainable product development. Designing third-party certified recycled content into the product, and then publishing LCA information to disclose the product’s life cycle impacts, demonstrates CertainTeed’s commitment to product stewardship and transparency,” says Tad Radzinski, P.E., LEED AP, SFP, founder and president of Sustainable Solutions Corporation. “By publishing the LCA results in the BEES online database, architects and builders now have transparent access to Restoration Millwork’s environmental attributes.”
The CertainTeed Restoration Millwork manufacturing facility in Social Circle, Ga., has been widely recognized for reducing waste. It is ISO 14001 certified, an international standard that requires the development and third-party verification of a formalized environmental management system. In addition, the plant recently achieved ENERGY STAR® Challenge for Industry recognition by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The award celebrates the facility’s energy efficiency improvement of more than 22 percent within only two years —significantly more than the minimum 10 percent within five years requirement for recognition.
CertainTeed’s Restoration Millwork has also recently achieved GreenCircle Certified, LLC certification for Recycled Content, enhancing the sustainable appeal of the product line. The third-party certification included a comprehensive review of the manufacturing process and products, verifying 21 percent total recycled content within the product. It is the only cellular PVC trim on the market to incorporate post-consumer recycled material, which further diverts usable material from being landfilled.
The full line of Restoration Millwork cellular PVC trim, beadboard and accessories is engineered to look, feel and work like top-grade lumber. Unlike wood, however, it is made with a long-lasting, low-maintenance material that is resistant to rotting, warping, moisture and insects. It can be cut using ordinary woodworking tools and fastened with nails or screws. It is highly resistant to yellowing caused by UV rays, resists freezing during winter months, features a Class A (Class 1) flame spread classification and is backed by a 25-year limited warranty.
As the North American leader in siding products, CertainTeed offers Freedom of Choice™ that no other manufacturer can provide, with the most comprehensive spectrum of profiles and colors of polymer shakes, fiber cement siding, insulated siding, vinyl siding and trim for finishing touches. For more information, visit www.certainteed.com/freedomofchoice.
About CertainTeed
Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm's slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed® is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and access covers.
A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building products company, CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 6,000 employees and more than 65 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. Recognized as a 2009 and 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CertainTeed earned the 2011 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition for outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. The group had total sales of approximately $3.2 billion in 2011. www.certainteed.com
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