by Brianna Crandall — June 9, 2014—CSA Group, a provider of standards development and testing and certification services, and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) have formed an alliance to support the newest version of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building certification program (LEED v4) and CSA Group’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program.
“LEED v4 is highly anticipated and includes changes that require third-party verification of buildings and building materials as well as more transparency on the environmental impact of products and systems that go into a building,” said Bonnie Rose, president, Standards, CSA Group. “CSA Group is a leader in developing solutions that advance sustainability and the environment, and we are excited to work with CaGBC to help provide education and support to these important programs.”
Buildings have been found to generate over one-third of all greenhouse gases, contribute an equal amount of waste to landfills through construction and demolition activities, and account for the vast majority of water consumption. LEED, an international mark of excellence in green building that is recognized by over 146 countries worldwide, recognizes that sustainability must be a part of the design, construction and operation of a building.
“The CaGBC, its members and chapters have worked for more than a decade to transform the built environment in Canada, and I’m pleased to say that Canada now ranks first in the world after the U.S. for LEED-certified projects,” said Thomas Mueller, CaGBC President and CEO. “LEED v4 incorporates a greater emphasis on building performance and material transparency for more building types than ever before. CSA Group is a natural partner to provide assessment, training and technical services to increase the understanding and adoption of green building product choices in Canada.”
Environmental product declarations (EPD) are an important part of the life cycle assessment of a building, explains CSA Group. When a company is constructing a building, EPDs provide a standard way to measure the environmental impact of a product or system. EPDs can start with raw materials and continue all the way through to the end product, measuring overall energy use and efficiency, the materials that were used to make the product, chemical substances, emissions and waste generation.
For the final occupants of a building, whether it is an office or a home, EPDs are like the nutrition label on a food box; they help give a full picture of how green a building is, from beginning to end. EPDs play an important role in LEED v4, and understanding and adopting this practice will help ensure more sustainable building practices now and into the future, adds the organization.
