Product Reps Have You Confused

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Updated: 06/27/05.

Product Reps Have you Sustainably Confused?

October 2003 issue of Mad-Spec

by H.B. Huisinga, CSI, CCCA, LEED AP

In today’s world we’ve learned how to make efficient use of our time through direct questions that get the answers we need in 5 minutes or less. We’re moving at the speed of light and we expect our product reps to do the same. In everyday life we ask the questions we need to write proper specs, but now we’ve added this sustainable level of information on top of each product we are expected to review.

Here are some helpful hints and questions that will help you be a better sustainable product evaluator.

Products can NOT be LEED™ certified or accredited. Buildings are certified; People are accredited. Products can help contribute directly or indirectly to LEED™ credits. LEED™ credits are what get your building certified.

Use of the LEED™ logo is restricted by trademark to USGBC and LEED™ certified buildings. USGBC member organizations are encouraged to use the “USGBC Member” logo. Only organizations or companies can be members of the USGBC. Individual memberships are not available.

Have you or your industry set up a reclamation program?

It is important to know whether the products we specify can be reclaimed at the end of their useful life and put back into the manufacturing cycle or not. While some manufacturers will take back and dispose of materials, we are more interested here with manufacturers who will take back and reuse materials. What can also play a factor here is the “down-cycling” of products. Preference should be given to those manufacturers who can recycle products back into their previous use without down-cycling the product. An example of down-cycling is carpet. Carpet can be recycled, but it’s recycled product is typically used in the backing of new carpet. When the new carpet gets recycled, the backing is no longer feasibly recyclable due to enormous amounts of energy needed to separate initial products back into useful materials.

How much post/pre-consumer recycled content does your product have and where in the product is it used?

Preference here should be given to post-consumer recycled content. This is material that is leftover from consumer use. Pre-consumer recycled content is also known as post-industrial recycled content. Post-industrial recycled content is material that is leftover after a product has been made. While the use of post-industrial materials is keeping material out of landfills, the down side is that some manufacturers then exert more energy and water to produce this material into a first-generation product. When considering using pre-consumer/post-industrial recycled content, look at the manufacturing process as well as the product’s effect on the environment.

When talking certified wood, there are at least two nationally recognized certification entities. Only the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and it’s guidelines are recognized by the USGBC when determining LEED™ points.

VOC content is an important aspect of air quality. Product Reps should be able to give VOC content for every product they present. Products that are particularly under the gun when it comes to VOC content and LEED™ are carpet, adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings.

The use of formaldehyde is another important aspect of air quality. When it comes to the use of formaldehyde, it is better to find products that do not contain formaldehyde all together. In the absence of such formaldehyde-free products, look for products which do NOT contain “urea-formaldehyde”.

Remember, some Product Reps are only regurgitating what their company has told them and others really are trying to understand. Together, we can help educate our Reps in our sustainability needs.