NRMCA becomes ASTM-led PCR/EPD consortium’s premier materials stakeholder

Sources: ASTM International, West Conshocken, Pa.; CP staff

The green building industry-driven Program Operator Consortium has added as affiliate members the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and Sustainable Solutions Corp. The Consortium launched last year to provide simpler, standardized, and more useful environmental-product transparency solutions and reduce complexity in the marketplace. It serves as an expert resource for creating product category rules (PCR), reviewing life cycle assessment reports (LCA), and verifying and publishing environmental product declarations (EPD).

“As one of the leading EPD operators in construction materials, we must consider opportunities to deliver value to our membership,” says NRMCA Senior Director of Sustainability Initiatives James Bogdan. “Joining the Program Operator Consortium allows our industry access to a network of practitioners and experts, and insight to evolving environmental disclosure reporting.”

“We bring the consortium years of experience completing LCA and EPD, a team of certified LCA practitioners, and our objective of using data to drive sustainability, product innovation and continuous improvement,” adds Sustainable Solutions President Tad Radzinski.

NRMCA and Sustainable Solutions join inaugural Consortium affiliate member thinkstep, a software, data and environmental consulting services provider, plus regular members ASTM International, CSA Group, ICC-Evaluation Service, NSF Sustainability, SCS Global Services and Sustainable Minds. The Affiliate Member Program was created for industry associations, government agencies, standards developers, consultants, and data providers to have access to expertise from a like-minded community. The free program also provides education, discounted rates, and a seat at the table to contribute to creating uniformity across environmental reporting formats, data requirements, and communication.

Each consortium member is represented in the group’s Technical Advisory Board. These LCA experts oversee the harmonized implementation of the consortium’s North American two-part PCR framework, which Consortium members have aligned to use and maintain over the past year. PCR created by any member will produce standardized environmental declarations, helping both manufacturers as well as decision-makers who specify green building materials and products. The first comprehensive catalog of North American PCR and an aggregated EPD catalog from members’ programs are available at www.programoperators.org.

http://www.concreteproducts.com/news/9699-astm-led-consortium-eyes-improved-pcr-lca-and-epd-for-green-building-interests.html#.WE8PaYQ79YY