Transparency Shines at Greenbuild 2014

Last week, the SSC team attended the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in New Orleans. Always a great event, Greenbuild 2014 especially showcased the advancements and innovations in the global sustainable building industry. At the heart of this progress is the ever-increasing theme of transparency. The release of LEED v4, and the rise of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs), has prompted many building product manufacturers to focus on the impact of their products on the environment and human health.

As a long-standing service provider to building product manufacturers, SSC is proud to be at the forefront of the transparency revolution. Our team specializes in integrating sustainability strategies into an organization's core business and has been a trusted advisor to leading organizations for over a decade. At this year's show, ten Category Leaders were honored by GreenWizard, the leading software provider for the design and construction community. These organizations were recognized for their transparency and sustainability leadership. Of the ten, we are proud to announce that two are SSC's clients, Superior Essex and CertainTeed Gypsum.

As green building codes and standards continue to evolve and drive the industry toward sustainability, manufacturers will need to adapt to meet market demands and stay competitive. To find out more about our corporate sustainability services and how they can help you lead your industry, visit our website, here. 

Kohler Introduces On-Demand EPDs
to Increase Transparency

Recognizing the value of transparency, Kohler has recently published dozens of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for vitreous products made in North America, along with the ability to generate hundreds more EPDs on demand. As a global manufacturer, Kohler utilizes a wide variation of manufacturing locations, processes, products, and suppliers, making traditional EPD development and publication not cost-effective and, potentially, not specifically representative of the actual product purchased by customers. The first of its kind, on-demand EPDs account for manufacturing variations and allows for a third-party verified, custom EPD to be provided for any vitreous product produced in North America. 

SSC assisted with executing the background Life Cycle Assessment model that enables Kohler's on-demand EPDs. Utilizing years of experience and our acknowledged LCA expertise, SSC delivers unparalleled quality to our clients. The data presented in these EPDs will allow Kohler products to contribute to LEED credits and will help Kohler to understand and reduce impacts throughout the product life cycle. To learn more about our LCA services, contact Jim Mellentine at jim@sustainablesolutionscorporation.com or
610-569-1047.

ENERGY STAR System Now Available
for Multifamily Projects

The EPA's ENERGY STAR program has long enabled commercial building owners to evaluate and compare their energy performance against others in the industry; however, the multifamily building industry has lacked a simple metric for tracking and quantifying energy performance - until now. In mid-September, the EPA made the ENERGY STAR program available for Multifamily High Rise buildings.

Rating buildings from 1-100 against an industry average, the ENERGY STAR program provides a tool for annual performance benchmarking that fuels continuous improvement. Properties with 20 or more units can benchmark their energy usage, and high performing buildings will qualify for ENERGY STAR certification. Certified buildings help owners and operators to highlight their commitment to energy efficiency and attract tenants. Representing nearly $22 billion in annual energy costs, multifamily buildings offer significant opportunity to reduce utility demand and operating expenses for both owners and tenants.

Through our extensive experience with ENERGY STAR

 benchmarking and certification, SSC has been designated as an ENERGY STAR Partner. In this role, SSC offers superior benchmarking services and helps our clients meet their energy efficiency goals. With extensive experience with multi-family projects, SSC can help you reduce environmental impacts, decrease operating costs, and differentiate your property from the competition. Contact Nate Belke at Nate@SustainableSolutionsCorporation.com or 610-569-1047 for more information on our ENERGY STAR services.