May 15 2007
Organizations are increasingly turning to the Cradle to Cradle(SM) eco-label from MBDC as a way to identify products as legitimately 'green' for third party review from a respected source. On May 1, 2007, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced Cradle to Cradle(SM) Certification as an approved tool to help architects and designers select building and interior products for their human health, environmental and life cycle attributes. Cradle to Cradle Certification is now included within USGBC's LEED(R) Green Building Rating System(TM) and eligible for earning "Innovation in Design" points.
Tom Hicks, Vice President of LEED, said that Cradle to Cradle Certification "is in harmony with our guiding principle of reconciling human activities with nature, and cuts a trail for exciting new directions in LEED to address the impacts of materials in the building industry in a much more sophisticated scientific manner." William McDonough, Co-founder of MBDC, remarked, "We are delighted and honored the USGBC now recognizes MBDC's Cradle to Cradle Certification program for LEED innovation credits. This helps expand the environmental focus to what's being used, reused or recycled and not just on the amount of recycled content."
Products newly certified by MBDC include the following:
Gold Award
- EcoScreen(TM) (perforated screenwall panels): CENTRIA
Silver Award
- 180 Walls(TM) (commercial wall covering): Milliken & Company
- Premium Whiteboards, Visual Communications Boards (various), and e3 Environmental Ceramicsteel(TM) Surface: PolyVision Corporation
- Sanitized T96-21 and Sanitized TH22-27 (fabric coatings):
- Sanitized(R)
- Answer(R) Workstation and Move(TM) Chair: Steelcase