The wallcoverings industry has developed Product Certification Scorecards, a new sustainability tool that provides transparency into how products earned their NSF 342 certifications. Both manufacturer and distributor performance are disclosed on the document that was developed by the Wallcoverings Association in collaboration with NSF International. Available from the wallcovering manufacturer and/or distributor, the Scorecard shows how many points the product earned in each of the NSF 342 categories and associated criteria including:
- Product Design, including criteria such as raw materials, life cycle assessment, and minimization of chemicals of concern.
- Product Manufacturing, including water use, greenhouse gas reductions, and energy inputs.
- Long-term Value evaluations, such as durability, fire resistance, and VOC emissions.
- End-of-Life Management considerations, such as reclamation and recycling.
- Corporate Governance, including employee wages, safety, and retention.
- Innovation benefits for new materials, technologies, and processes.
The wallcoverings industry created the Scorecard to provide specifiers, buyers, and end-users with additional detail on the sustainable attributes of individual wallcovering products. The tool shows how many points were awarded for each category and criteria in the NSF 342 certification process, allowing specifiers to zero in on issues important to them, such as energy reduction, minimizing VOCs, or post-consumer reclamation. It also facilitates comparison of specific sustainable attributes among multiple products.
Both manufacturer and distributor undergo a comprehensive and independent environmental assessment during the NSF 342 certification process. NSF 342 is unique in the architecture and design industry in that both manufacturer and distributor must qualify for a product to carry the certification. The manufacturer and distributor combine their total points to qualify for one of four levels of certification: Conformant, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
“The wallcoverings industry strives to bring full transparency and clarity to the sustainability process,” said Matthew Jones, Wallcoverings Association Executive Director. “Product Certification Scorecards provide a window into the NSF 342 certification process, allowing specifiers to evaluate a product’s performance on specific environmental criteria. Scorecards, together with NSF certifications and industry-average Environmental Product Declarations, provide a suite of sustainability tools that enable specifiers to pursue their sustainability goals and empowers smarter choices by connecting purchasers with detailed information about environmental impacts.”
