To help architects, interior designers, building owners, and other specifiers better understand the environmental impacts of its commercial ceiling products, Armstrong has issued Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for nine of its most popular ceiling and suspension systems.
Armstrong ceiling lines for which EPDs are now available include high-performance ceiling products Tierra, Optima, Ultima, Ultima Ceiling-2-Ceiling, Cirrus, and Mesa,plus standard product families Dune, Fine Fissured, and Cortega.
An EPD is a standardized, internationally recognized, comprehensive tool for providing information on a product’s environmental impact. Information in the document is based on an ISO-compliant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and verified by a third party.
The detailed analysis considers all processes in the life cycle of a product, including raw material extraction and refining, energy use and efficiency during manufacture, transportation methods, and end-of-service-life recycling.
EPDs are issued within clearly defined product groups based on product category rules. Armstrong has published EPDs for high performance mineral fiber, fiberglass, and BioAcoustic fiber, as well as standard mineral fiber families. The high-performance families combine superior performance in acoustics, light reflectance, durability, recycled content, and recyclability, in addition to the new life cycle impact information.
EPDs can also contribute to LEED credits. At this time, LEED Pilot Credit 61: Material Disclosure and Assessment allocates credit to products that have an accompanying EPD. LEED 2012 will most likely incorporate a new credit for EPDs on products as well.
“Architects and designers are increasingly demanding transparent data that supports claims of the environmental sustainability of the products they select,” said Anita Snader, environmental sustainability manager for Armstrong Commercial Ceilings. “Our new EPDs provide a holistic view of the environmental impacts and key performance features of those products.”
To help end users better understand the new documentation, Armstrong prepared a short video that takes a quick look at LCAs and EPDs. It can be viewed at www.armstrong.com/epd.
New Online CEU Course Offered
Armstrong has also prepared a new free online continuing education unit (CEU) titled “Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations: The Next Level of Transparency.”
Completion of the course qualifies for one continuing education hour toward the USGBC Green Building Certification Institute’s (GBCI) Credential Maintenance program. The course also provides a continuing education unit by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). To access the new CEU, visit armstrong.com/CEU.
Related Stories
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.
| May 31, 2012
Product Solutions June 2012
Curing agents; commercial faucets; wall-cladding systems.
| May 29, 2012
Reconstruction Awards Entry Information
Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.
| Apr 3, 2012
Product Solutions
Two new PV systems; a lighter shelf; and fire alarm/emergency communication system.
| Feb 17, 2012
Tremco Inc. headquarters achieves LEED Gold certification
Changes were so extensive that the certification is for new construction and not for renovation; officially, the building is LEED-NC.
| Feb 2, 2012
Call for Entries: 2012 Building Team Awards. Deadline March 2, 2012
Winning projects will be featured in the May issue of BD+C.
| Jan 3, 2012
New SJI Rule on Steel Joists
A new rule from the Steel Joist Institute clarifies when local reinforcement of joists is required for chord loads away from panel points. SJI members offer guidance about how and when to specify loads.
