TUV Rheinland extends sustainability leadership with USGBC products and materials certification

TUV Rheinland, a global leader in independent technical services, has extended its sustainability leadership with the recognition of its Green Product Mark by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This new inclusion of low volatile organic compounds (VOC) emission will help customers in their quest to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

The announcement is the latest in a string of recent TUV Rheinland Green Product Mark successes. They include passing the Global Eco labelling Network peer assessment, securing a recommendation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in federal procurement projects, joining the International Trade Centre’s Standards Map, as well as becoming a partner in the United Nations Environment Programme’s sustainable procurement initiative.

“LEED is the world’s most popular third-party verification for green buildings, and it has been adopted widely by property developers and building owners to document their commitment to sustainability. With USGBC recognition, all clients accorded the TUV Rheinland Green Product Mark will automatically receive 3 credit points on the LEED rating system within the low VOC emitting materials category – simplifying and speeding up the LEED certification process without compromising sustainability performance,” said Mr. Holger Kunz, Executive Vice President Products at TUV Rheinland.

The Green Product Mark is a voluntary environmental labelling scheme based on indicators arising from product life cycle considerations. Designed to communicate accurate and verifiable information on the environmental aspects of products, Green Product Mark certification provides consumers and purchasers a clear guideline to help them choose environmentally preferable products with less environmental impact.

TUV Rheinland is continuing to push back the frontiers of sustainability and building global recognition for its global network of Green Product Mark partners. According to Mr. Kunz, the organization is actively seeking affiliations with national, regional and international organizations focused on sustainable procurement advocacy and promoting the adoption of the Green Product Mark.

Other steps the organization is taking include developing easy-to-understand guides on TUV Rheinland’s eco-labels aimed at educating buyers and manufacturers.