NSF International, in cooperation with the Glass Association of North America’s (GANA) Float Glass Manufacturing Division, recently announced it is developing a Product Category Rule (PCR) for flat and float glass. Flat glass includes sheet, plate, rolled and float glass, and is used in a range of architectural, auto, and decorative applications. This PCR is expected to provide a science-based and internationally recognized method for reporting the environmental impact of glass products and materials throughout their entire lifecycle. 

PCRs define the elements of a lifecycle assessment (LCA) for a particular product group and what to include in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), a third-party-verified report summarizing the data generated from a lifecycle assessment. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has a pilot credit that recognizes materials that have third-party-verified EPDs.

“There is growing interest in transparency of product information both domestically and abroad,” said Tom Bruursema, general manager of NSF Sustainability. “The inclusion of criteria supporting Environmental Product Declarations in the LEED V4 Green Building Rating System Standards in development will further increase demand if adopted. GANA is taking an important step in the green building industry to develop the PCR that will enable the reporting and comparison of the environmental attributes of their products.”

“Enabling comparisons of glass products on the basis of their environmental impact, using standardized and scientifically sound data, will provide a competitive incentive for glass manufacturers to focus on the environmental impacts of their products and operations,” said Mike Turnbull, Guardian Industries Corp., Glass Association of North America’s Float Glass Manufacturing Division representative and NSF PCR Chair. “Developing a PCR for float and flat glass is an important step for the industry toward a more sustainable future.”

For additional information, visit www.nsfsustainability.org or www.glasswebsite.com.