THE GREEN CORNER
Environmentally Preferable Products
California Leads the Way

Specifiers and Manufacturer’s Reps Take Note!

Many of you may already be aware of the California Environmentally Preferable Products project, but for those of you who aren’t, the following information was recently sent via e-mail to people on the EPP mailing list:

Background
In October 2003, the Division of State Architect (DSA) launched the development of a first of its kind database designed to provide a list of environmentally preferable products (EPP) for school construction. The project scope of work includes the following basic phases: research, criteria development, product screening, and database publishing. A research report looking at existing programs and resources pertinent to this project was completed in February and posted via email and on the project website, www.eppbuildingproducts.org. Concurrently, the project team surveyed architects, contractors, and school district officials to identify the products that are most widely used in school construction in California.

The research phase formed the foundation for the development of criteria that could be used to differentiate environmentally preferable products. The research into the products being specified for use in CA schools also showed a wide variety of products being used, similar to the trends in overall commercial building construction. Per California Senate Bill 373 (the legislation that initiated this project), and environmentally preferable product is defined as:

A product that promotes healthy indoor environments for children, and demonstrates the use of environmentally preferable materials and systems. When compared to other similar products with similar functions an environmentally preferable product has some, or all, of the following characteristics relative to those similar products serving similar functions:
  1. Less hazardous to public health, safety and the environment.
  2. Consumes less energy in their manufacture or use.
  3. Contains more, or any amount of, recycled or post-consumer material content in their manufacture.
  4. Results in less potential waste.
  5. Results in less harm to indoor air quality.
  6. Consumes less water.
  7. Includes features, or is manufactured from materials, that promotes recycling or reuse of the product.
In March 2004, the EPP Database team began the process of researching individual product categories and outlining screening criteria based on the guidance from SB373. Between April and July 2004, draft standards for composite panels, gypsum board, and fiber-based insulation were released for public comment. Following the public comment periods, a Response to Comments document was published. A fourth category, Adhesives and Sealants, was initiated in late July. On July 27, an Industry Roundtable meeting was held to discuss progress to date and to receive feedback on the process of creating the EPP criteria and draft standards documents.

At the Industry Roundtable, attendees voiced both support for the project and strong concern over the process used to arrive at the draft standards against which products will be evaluated. A comprehensive summary of the Roundtable was emailed to all attendees and published on the project website. Key concerns included, but were not limited to, a request to involve manufacturer representatives prior to the beginning the drafting of each standard, a request for more time for manufacturers to provide input, and a request to actively verify the extent to which current products could meet the proposed EPP criteria.

As a result of the feedback at the Roundtable, the EPP Database team is re-starting the criteria development process with a greater focus on outreach and a substantially longer time period to receive input prior to writing the draft standards. The following is a summary of the new process and schedule:

September -December 2004: Outreach for All Product Categories
A list of all product categories expected to be included in the project is posted on the project website. The EPP Database team will contact manufacturers, trade associations, users, and environmental groups to establish a Working Group for each category. One public meeting will be held in Sacramento for each category and input will be solicited and accepted throughout the entire 3-month period. The intent of this Outreach period is to:
  1. Receive input on the important performance, environmental, health, and cost parameters are for each category
  2. Identify existing information resources and data that could serve as the basis for EPP criteria
  3. Make sure any proposed criteria are achievable by manufacturers
It is important to note that the public meetings are not the only way stakeholders can participate in the process. Information will be accepted throughout these 3 months prior to the beginning of any draft standards. The Working Groups for each category will be formed with the intent of identifying a representative group of stakeholders, promoting discussion of the pertinent issues, and establishing the distribution lists for project announcements and updates.

In addition to the individual category Work Groups, the project will facilitate additional meetings and conference calls to address overall issues, as follows:
  • A Roundtable Meeting in Sacramento in November
  • An experts panel on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
  • An experts panel on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
January - February 2005: Write Draft Standards for All Product Categories
The project team will assemble the input and data collected during the Outreach period in order to formulate the EPP criteria into draft standards. Additional input is welcome during this time; however, the input may need to be addressed through the public comment and response process if it is received near the end of the period.

March - April 2005: Public Comment Period for Draft Standards (45 days)
Using the web-based process for public comment, all draft standards will be posted and downloadable on the project website, and comments will be accepted for 45 days.

April - June 2005: Response to Comments
The project team will publish a Response to Comments document for each draft standard. As part of developing the responses, the project team will contact each commenter to discuss the proposed response.

Public meetings will be held in Sacramento during this process to present draft responses to the comments and work towards positive resolution of any negative comments.

June - July 2005: Write Final Draft Standards
The project team will revise the standards, as necessary, based on the Response to Comments documents.

August 2005: Submit to California Building Standards Commission
The State has determined that the final draft standards must be submitted to the California Building Standards Commission; the expected filing date is August 2005. The California Building Standards Commission is an independent commission within the State and Consumer Services Agency and is charged with:
  • Reviewing and approving building standards proposed and adopted by state agencies
  • Codifying and publishing approved building standards in one state building standards code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24)
  • Administering California's building code adoption processes
  • Resolving conflict, duplication, and overlap in building standards
  • Ensuring consistency in the nomenclature and format of the code
  • Hearing appeals resulting from the administration of state building standards
  • Receiving local agency modifications to California Code of Regulations, Title 24
  • Coordinating and managing the model code adoption process for various state agencies
  • Adopting and approving model codes and building standards for buildings owned by the state, including those constructed by the Trustees of the California State University and the Regents of the University of California
  • Adopting and approving model codes for state agencies that fail to adopt these codes within one year of their publication
We look forward to your participation in this process. Please don't hesitate to call Panama Bartholomy, DSA (916.445.4229) or Greg Shank, CTG (949.428.6270) with any questions.

The EPP task group would like to have CSI member involvement in assisting with this effort. We encourage you to sign up on the EPP website at: www.eppbuildingproducts.org to stay informed about it, and if you have time to comment on the standards or participate by attending the open forums, please do so. CSI, as an organization comprised of industry and professional members whose focus is specifications and materials, has a lot to offer the EPP program and they would very much appreciate our input.

CSI San Francisco Chapter Green Committee

return to top