UL Environment publishes new material-agnostic Product Category Rule for cladding

MARIETTA, Ga., June 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- UL Environment, a business division of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), today announced the publication of a new material-agnostic Product Category Rule (PCR) for cladding products. Using this new PCR will allow manufacturers to cut through the clutter of the 14 different material-specific PCRs currently existing.

The market demand for increased transparency and data in the building materials marketplace has been growing exponentially. Driven in part by updates to green building rating systems such as LEED® which provide for credits for using transparency documentation such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), this growth is also due to to the larger industry and occupant call for more visibility into -- and data about -- the materials that impact the environment in the spaces they occupy.

"We recognized the need to simplify, streamline, and harmonize the process to enable greater and easier adoption," said Anna Nicholson, EPD product manager with UL Environment. "That led us to work with a PCR Development Committee to cut through the clutter and develop a material-agnostic, holistic PCR for the North American market."

However, EPDs and the PCRs on which they are based are still far from the harmonized, globally-comparable instrument that is the ideal. It is to this end that UL Environment – the largest EPD Program Operator in North America -- is working with partners, such as the U.S. Green Building Council and industry, to support more standardized transparency documentation which will provide the data to support the needs of specifiers, builders and occupants.

The new PCR, along with all of UL Environment's existing PCRs, can be found at http://industries.ul.com/environment/transparency/product-category-rules-pcrs.

About UL Environment
UL Environment works to advance global sustainability, environmental health, and safety by supporting the growth and development of environmentally preferable products, services, and organizations. We help companies achieve their sustainability goals—and help purchasers, specifiers, retailers, governments, and consumers find products they can trust. UL Environment offers environmental claim validations, multi-attribute product certifications, environmental product declarations, indoor air quality certification, product emissions testing, organizational sustainability certification, and consulting. For more information, visit www.ul.com/environment, and connect with us via Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.

About UL                                     
UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for more than 120 years. Its nearly 11,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. We partner with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, testing, inspection, advisory and education services, visit http://www.UL.com.

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SOURCE UL Environment

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