News Release
For immediate release:
September 19, 2013
For more information contact:
Michael B. Loughery, CertainTeed
(610) 341-7328
mike.b.loughery@saint-gobain.com
www.certainteed.com/pressroom
CertainTeed Secures Environmental Product Declaration for Sustainable Insulation,
Verifying Life Cycle Performance
(Valley Forge, Pa.) – CertainTeed has strengthened its commitment to sustainability and product
transparency by issuing its first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Sustainable
Insulation. In issuing the new EPD, CertainTeed becomes one of the first insulation
manufacturers to provide third-party verification of its product’s environmental performance
from manufacturing to end-of-life impact.
To create the EPD, UL Environment evaluated life cycle assessment data for CertainTeed’s fiber
glass Sustainable Insulation on critical environmental impacts, such as raw material extraction
and use, production processes, packaging, logistics, through end-of-life —providing independent
verification of the data in accordance with ISO 14025. The new EPD joins CertainTeed’s
industry-leading library of EPDs for acoustical ceiling solutions, which includes transparent data
on more than 21 of the company’s ceiling product families.
“EPDs are critical in helping architects and specifiers meet the newest generation of green
building codes, including LEED v4, which emphasize a product’s overall environmental impact
rather than individual attributes like recycled content or VOC emissions,” said Drew Brandt, vice
president of marketing and R&D for CertainTeed’s Insulation Group. “By issuing an EPD for
Sustainable Insulation, we are providing transparent, reliable environmental information on the
product’s performance so our customers can be confident in its true environmental performance
from cradle to grave. The EPD positions CertainTeed as a leading manufacturer that is prepared
for the release of LEED v4, as new credits are available for published life cycle data.”
News Release
Sustainable Insulation EPD – Page 2 of 3
Sustainable Insulation is produced at CertainTeed’s Athens, Ga., and Chowchilla, Calif.
manufacturing facilities. Its main raw material is sand, an inert, abundant and naturally renewing
resource. In addition, Sustainable Insulation includes both pre- and post-consumer recycled glass
and a sustainable, plant-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde, acrylics, dyes, or
unnecessary fire retardants and is GREENGUARD Gold Certified for low chemical emissions.
Rigorous monitoring and energy management at the plants has reduced the amount of energy
needed to manufacture the product, and Sustainable Insulation’s highly compressed packaging
allows CertainTeed to transport more products on one truck from strategically located
distribution centers, minimizing transportation impacts.
Sustainable Insulation can reduce energy costs throughout the life of a structure with no
additional energy or maintenance. It is available in a variety of R-values ranging from R-11 to R38 and is designed for use in standard wood stud and steel-frame wall and ceiling assemblies.
Sustainable Insulation resists moisture absorption and won't settle or lose its R-value over time.
Kraft-faced batts and rolls also act as a vapor retarder to help prevent condensation and mold
growth in the wall cavity.
CertainTeed offers a comprehensive line of insulation products and equipment, including timetested and trusted fiber glass insulation batts and rolls, fiber glass blow-in insulation,
polyurethane spray foam, innovative vapor retarder technology, and highly regarded HVAC
products as well as insulation blowing and foam application equipment. All of CertainTeed’s
insulation products can help building professionals qualify toward credits for both the Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) through the U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC) and the Green Building Standard supported by the National Association of Home
Builders.
For more information and to view the full EPD, visit www.certainteed.com/InsulationEPD.
Sustainable Insulation EPD – Page 3 of 3
News Release
About CertainTeed
Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products,
CertainTeed, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., has helped shape the building products industry
for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the
firm's slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," quickly inspired the name
CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed® is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior
building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, insulation, gypsum and
ceilings.
A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building products company, CertainTeed and
its affiliates have more than 5,700 employees and more than 60 manufacturing facilities
throughout the United States and Canada. Recognized as a 2009 and 2010 ENERGY STAR
Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CertainTeed earned the 2011
and 2012 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition for
outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. The group
had total sales of approximately $3.3 billion in 2012. www.certainteed.com
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