Armstrong World Industries, a manufacturer of acoustical ceiling and wall systems, has become an official adopter of the 2030 Challenge for Products. It is the first ceiling manufacturer in the country to do so.
The 2030 Challenge for Products calls on the global architecture, planning, design and building communities to specify, design and manufacture products that will meet a carbon footprint of 30 percent below the product average through 2014, then incrementally improve this reduction to 50 percent by 2030.
Issued by Architecture 2030, the 2030 Challenge for Products builds on the original, widely adopted 2030 Challenge, which calls for the operation of all new buildings and major renovations to be carbon neutral by 2030.
To achieve the 2030 Challenge for Products goals, Architecture 2030 encourages the selection of building products that have achieved reductions in their embodied carbon footprints. To disclose their carbon footprints, manufacturers are encouraged to develop ISO-compliant Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for their products. To this end, Armstrong has issued EPDs for nine of its most popular ceilings. The Armstrong ceilings for which EPDs are available include high-performance mineral fiber, fiberglass and BioAcoustic panels, as well as standard mineral-fiber panels.
“We’re excited to have Armstrong Ceilings adopt the Challenge,” states Francesca Desmarais, director of the 2030 Challenge for Products. “Based on their acknowledged reputation and position as a steward of sustainability, we look forward to working together with them to increase transparency and reduce the carbon footprint of building products.”