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.
Many of WA’s members are participating on a Sustainability Standard Implementation Committee, which is looking for ways to benefit WA members by cutting costs on work and analyses needed to meet the standard.
Click here to view the most recent draft of the NSF 342 Sustainability Assessment for Wallcovering Products.
If you have any questions about the industry standard please feel free to contact WA at 312.321.5166.
The WA is pleased to work with NSF and ANSI to complete the development of the Sustainability Standard for Wallcovering Products.