BOSTON—Even with the economy in the tank, interest in green products is on the rise. The Greenbuild International Conference & Expo last November expected a drop in attendance, but sold out the trade show floor with a waiting list and exceeded attendee estimates by 12,000 people. With this continuing momentum and proliferation of green products on the market, it’s increasingly difficult to know what’s really green.
In 2009, NEXUS surveyed its 16,000 building industry subscribers and the majority of respondents stated that “access to unbiased product information” was the predominant issue for making informed decisions. To meet this need and build on existing programs, The Green Roundtable/NEXUS has launched a new program: the Green Product Association (GPA). The Green Product Association, an international association, is the first inclusive platform to represent the entire life cycle of products from construction through operations. The mission of the GPA is to lead an industrywide market transformation so that building products meet a continuously increasing level of sustainability throughout their life cycle. The vision of GPA is that all products used in the built environment will be green, and that their performance criteria and metrics will be visible to all.
GPA has established key partner relationships to fulfill its mission of market transformation. UL Environment, providing third party product certification and validation, will address the greenwashing issue for designers. GPA’s Global Trade Partners, who represent different countries through World Green Building Councils and International Trade Offices, will ensure widespread promotion in a global economy. Media Partners, such as the Real Estate Journal, with more than a million online news hits, are collaborating with GPA to give recognition to its members.
CBC Flooring Among Founding Members
Companies that are committed to GPA’s mission and demonstrating leadership are joining as Founding Members. These companies include Xerox, CBC Flooring, Jandris & Sons and Bostik. Benefits for GPA Founding Members are comprehensive, aiming to accelerate the sales cycle by connecting specifiers directly with green products. Edward (Chip) Braulick shared why CBC Flooring decided to become a Founding Member.
“NEXUS and the newly-established Green Product Association have helped us refine our goals and commitments to advance sustainability to ensure we’re sourcing the most environmentally friendly products available from all around the globe,” he said.
GPA Members gain access to both the NEXUS and GPA brand recognition, advertising through media partners and trade shows, and visibility through the loyal green building community of 16,000 NEXUS subscribers and 12,000 event attendees.
GPA’s program calendar kicks off March 4 with a roundtable discussion at NEXUS led by Bill Walsh from the Healthy Building Network’s Pharos Project and Barbra Batshalom of NEXUS and the Green Product Association on “Transparency & Trends in Green Building Products.” This discussion is for architects, designers, manufacturers, distributors and other professionals involved in the specification of green products. Learn more about this event at www.nexusboston.org/events.
The Green Product Association is currently accepting Founding Members through March 2010. Contact Tova Greenberg, director of business development, at tova@greenroundtable.org.
