by Shane Henson — October 17, 2011—UL Environment Inc. has announced it is releasing a new set of standard requirements, UL ISR 102, Sustainability for Swinging Doors, which will help gauge the environmental and human health impacts of door slabs, including those that are meant to swing, hang or glide.
UL ISR 102 provides detailed requirements with which to evaluate the environmental impacts related to producing a variety of door types. The life cycle impact of doors is measured throughout the materials management, energy use, water use, manufacturing and operations, health and environment, product performance, product stewardship and innovative practices of production. These new guidelines will help architects, designers and LEED-APs select environmentally preferable swinging door slabs.
“Every element of a building contributes to creating healthier work environments. Doors are an important feature that impacts not only the indoor air quality and fire susceptibility of a space, but the overall impact of the resources used to collectively build the structure,” said Steve Wenc, president of UL Environment. “With the release of UL ISR 102, Sustainability for Swinging Doors, UL Environment hopes to provide a clear path for door manufacturers who are genuinely interested in manufacturing environmentally preferable products. Those who commit to meeting the standard through third-party certification also demonstrate their commitment to leading the industry forward, and add a level of trust specifiers prefer when selecting better products.”
Those currently in the market for a swinging door slab may be interested in learning more about the first one to be certified to UL Environment’s sustainability requirements, the ASSA ABLOY Trio-E door. According to the manufacturer, the Trio-E door is steel stiffened for strength, but has achieved an operable U Factor of 0.29, which is reportedly 50 percent better than other steel stiffened doors currently available on the market today.
