ORLANDO, FLA.—Building insulation products from Dow Building Solutions have achieved recertification by the Cradle to Cradle Certification program, a well-known, multi-attribute eco-label that assesses a product’s safety and environmental impact. Originally certified and announced at IBS last year after rigorous analysis, STYROFOAM Brand Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Foam Insulation and SAFETOUCH Fiberglass-Free Insulation both recertified at the SILVER level, while STYROFOAM SIS Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing, THERMAX Exterior Insulation, and STYROFOAM Brand Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Insulation all achieved BASIC recertification.
“We feel that recertification of our building insulation products under a holistic analysis like Cradle to Cradle is a preferred approach to product certification and selection versus a single-attribute assessment,” said Scott Young, global director of energy efficiency and sustainability for Dow Building Solutions. “It provides a stronger indication of a product’s comparative value in helping to build a more energy-efficient world, and a clear signal of our commitment to meeting Dow’s 2015 Sustainability Goals, including energy efficiency, climate change, community success and local protection of human health and the environment.”
Unlike single-attribute eco-labels, the Cradle to Cradle approach takes a more comprehensive assessment in evaluating the sustainability attributes of a product, as well as the practices employed in manufacturing the product. Administered by MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC), a global sustainability consulting and product certification firm, the Cradle to Cradle Certification process evaluates products in five categories: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship, and social responsibility.
Dow products that have achieved renewed Cradle to Cradle Certification are eligible for points that contribute toward various building certifications, such as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Rating Systems and the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) National Green Building Program.
“We believe that the holistic, multi-attribute approach the Cradle to Cradle Certification program takes is an invaluable guide for making high-performance, ‘net-zero energy’ homes and buildings a practical, affordable option for mainstream new construction builders and retrofitters around the world,” Young said. “In order for green to become mainstream, solutions will need to evolve so that they remain affordable, accessible, sustainable, repeatable, durable, and easy to use and install.”
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