by Brianna Crandall — December 19, 2014—Modular wall designer and provider DIRTT Environmental Solutions has taken actions in recent days that will allow facilities managers to understand the environmental impact of both DIRTT’s and other companies’ products, which is useful for such undertakings as seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or other sustainable building certifications.
DIRTT says it has set the official international standard for measuring and reporting how modular wall components measure up in terms of sustainability, with the completion of a third-party-verified Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and 15 Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for prefabricated modular walls.
DIRTT also established the global Product Category Rule (PCR) for interior prefab modular walls, which defines the guidelines and requirements for EPDs in a particular category. This reportedly sets the standard for other companies in the construction industry to adapt and follow, resulting in more transparent, sustainable, environmentally friendly product choices for customers.
With the publication of these new industry declarations, DIRTT says it has become the first and only modular wall manufacturer to:
- Lead the industry move to greater transparency by funding development of the first industry PCR;
- Scientifically measure the environmental impacts of its products through the entire lifecycle; and
- Publish EPDs for five configurations, in three different factories, for a total of 15 EPDs.
DIRTT worked with a respected third-party environmental research company, Climate Earth, to measure and track the environmental footprint of the entire life cycle of DIRTT’s products, from gathering the raw materials to manufacturing, transporting, installing and recycling or disposing of them. Climate Earth says EPDs mimic the nutrition label on food in that they provide the facts and the transparency needed to make an informed purchasing decision.
EPDs are a scientific and comparable way to report the environmental impacts of a product, while LCA is a scientific approach for assessing the cumulative environmental impacts of a product or process from cradle to grave. PCRs define the rules and requirements for EPDs of a certain product category, enabling transparency and comparability.
“Customers are increasingly concerned with environmental footprint, and there is growing demand for manufacturers to publish their sustainability credentials, so we’re proud to say we’ve set a new standard in transparency,” says Scott Jenkins, President of DIRTT. “We all need to change behaviors to decrease our impact, but you can’t change behaviors unless you measure them first. DIRTT has now measured ours and we’re ready to seize the opportunity to reduce our impact.”
DIRTT Environmental Solutions (“Doing It Right This Time”) uses its proprietary 3D software to design, manufacture and install fully customized prefab interiors. The company’s customers in the corporate, government, education and healthcare sectors benefit from DIRTT’s precise design and costing; rapid lead times with high levels of customization and flexibility; and faster, cleaner construction. DIRTT’s manufacturing facilities are in Phoenix, Savannah, Kelowna and Calgary, and DIRTT’s teams support 100 Distribution Partners throughout North America, the Middle East and Asia.
