Tag: sustainability

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New Vinyl Siding EPDs Deliver Sustainability Transparency in User-Friendly Format

Three new EPDs from Vinyl Siding Institute

For building and design pros looking to maximize the sustainability of their homes, the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) has added another tool to help make greener product choices for the home exterior. VSI, of which Westlake Royal Building Products is a member, recently published three Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) outlining the life cycle story of polymeric siding. The EPDs’ user-friendly package makes it easier to understand the sustainability specifications of vinyl siding.

The three EPDs—covering industry-averaged vinyl siding, insulated vinyl siding, and polypropylene siding—were developed in accordance with standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Each outlines the environmental impact of the product over the course of its life, including raw material extraction and transport, manufacturing, and waste generation. By offering data in a transparent and standardized way, EPDs allow product specifiers to make apples-to-apples comparisons between different products and material types. This helps provide transparency and authenticity in sustainability research.

However, these newest EPDs forgo the typical numbers-heavy report that can feel too complex and unapproachable. Instead, VSI says the marketing-style guides feature easy-to-read text and graphics, along with an organized chronology of features and benefits that make the data more accessible and understandable for both pros and their customers.

Each EPD includes:

• A summary of vinyl siding advantages

• Detailed measurements outlining the siding’s carbon footprint, from the efficient manufacturing process to end-of-life recyclability

• A look at vinyl siding’s recyclability

• An overview of vinyl siding’s 50+-year life span

• Material elements

• A list of green building programs offering credits for vinyl siding

• Accessible metrics outlining environmental data and life cycle

Though vinyl siding has sometimes been overlooked for green buildings in the past, data reveal that vinyl outperforms almost all other common cladding materials in total environmental impact. This includes in the areas of waste, toxic chemicals, overall environmental impact, recyclability, and longevity. (Read more about vinyl siding’s green attributes.)

Download the new EPDs from VSI here:

• Vinyl siding EPD

• Insulated Vinyl Siding EPD

• Polypropylene Siding EPD

Ready to explore vinyl siding options for your next green-built home? Check out the options from Royal® Vinyl Siding, Exterior Portfolio® Vinyl, and Foundry™ Specialty Siding.

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In Life Cycle Analysis, Vinyl Siding Outperforms Fiber Cement

Foundry staggered shake siding, vinyl siding

Vinyl siding is a go-to product for many builders and remodelers, thanks to its affordability, durability, and eye-catching aesthetics. And pros concerned about sustainability can rest assured that vinyl ticks that box, as well.

According to the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI), analysis by BEES, a tool from the National Institute of Standards and Technology that measures the environmental performance of building products using life-cycle assessment, vinyl siding’s life cycle outperforms that of fiber cement by two times and also has lower global warming impact and ecological toxicity ratings. In addition, fiber cement is responsible for more than 200 times the human health impact, while vinyl creates virtually no manufacturing waste, has significantly lower toxic emissions, and has only 19% of fiber cement’s ozone depletion impact.

These and other findings in the report support the vinyl siding industry’s long-held assertions about the sustainability attributes of vinyl, VSI says, including lighter weight for increased fuel efficiency during shipping, minimal material waste from installation, and durability, as well as the fact that vinyl doesn’t need paint, stain, or caulk. 

These advantages don’t come with sacrifice to aesthetics, which remains a top priority for most consumers. Foundry siding profiles capture the warm look and sought-after curb appeal of cedar. Choose from the charm and custom sophistication of shingles or the bold statement of staggered or split shakes, all with low maintenance and long-term durability.

Dive deeper into the BEES findings in a second report by VSI here.