In 2008, WA began the journey towards sustainability.  Recognizing the ever changing business climate that environmental issues raise, the wallcovering industry set out on a proactive path to address the multitude of issues brought up by its customers through organizations like the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) with the development of a truly unique and comprehensive Sustainability Standard for wallcovering products.

The Sustainability Standard addresses the major concerns typical of an industry program in several ways.   First, this product standard is being developed through a third party (ANSI) process with industry, customers/user groups, and public health representatives involved in the standard writing process.  WA has also partnered with NSF to complete the project.  Second, the standard is tiered and evergreen.  It allows for a basic entry level that motivates manufacturers to apply for the standard but also rewards those companies that have made prior commitments to improving their product environmental performance.  Finally the standard allows for greater transparency into the performance of individual products in that individual product analyses are available for review.

The standard covers product design, product manufacturing, long term usage, and value, corporate responsibility, as well as innovation.  While there are several similar standards regarding the issue sustainability of building products no other standard has attempted to bring in the full distribution chain in the evaluation of a product.  

To make obtaining a proposal easier for WA members, NSF has appointed Senior Business Development Manager, Jeanette Halliday, to handle all requests. Halliday (pictured to the left) may be reached at halliday@nsf.org or at 734.827.3804.

 For additional information please contact WA Headquarters at info@wallcoverings.org or 312.321.5166.