Sustainability

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardized document that details the environmental impact of a product. The methodology used to create an EPD is known as a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This method quantifies the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire life cycle. In the case of suspended ceilings this means that the environmental impact of all ceiling components (e.g. suspension components, panels) is calculated for their life cycle, from raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, installation, use, to disposal.

The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard guides designers and manufacturers through a continuous improvement process that looks at a product through five quality categories – material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness.
Hunter Douglas adopts the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) product philosophy to the design of products that fit the circular paradigm. Both our metal and felt ceilings are Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze, whereas a number of wood ceilings are C2C Certified® at the Silver level. These systems are designed for longevity, using materially healthy technical nutrients that can be reused at end of life as a high-quality source for something new.

Cradle to Cradle Certified® is a registered trademark of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are a large group of chemicals that easily evaporate into the air at room temperature. Once released into the air they can contribute to indoor air pollution and outdoor smog formation. Some VOCs can have short- and long-term health effects. The European Indoor Air Comfort scheme is used to demonstrate product quality related to indoor air quality. The Indoor Air Comfort Gold label proves compliance with the legal requirements on VOC emissions of construction products imposed by the European Union and its Member States, but it also meets the requirements of the majority of voluntary VOC emissions labels. This makes Air Comfort Gold the most ambitious label in Europe on product emissions.

For more information, see the Indoor Air Comfort Gold certificates for our HeartFelt® range and a big number of Luxalon® products.

FSC® stands for Forest Stewardship Council and is an international organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests. Responsible forest stewardship for FSC® is when the social, environmental and economic aspects of forest management are all given equal consideration. FSC® has regulated this in a transparent manner.

Derako® can supply FSC® certified wood on request.

PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification), is the world’s largest independent non-profit certification for the promotion of sustainable forestry management. Sustainable forestry management is about achieving the optimum balance between economic, ecological and social aspects. PEFC operates the strict guidelines of the ILO (International Labour Organisation), which is recognised worldwide as the social standard for working conditions. Sustainable forestry management is not a static process, so the country standards are reviewed and renewed every 5 years and this is what makes PEFC unique. In the Dutch market, two thirds of certified wood come from PEFC-certified forests.

Derako® can supply PEFC certified wood on request.

Hunter Douglas is committed to products that are safe to use and do not contain harmful chemicals or have a detrimental effect on health. Products that are certified according the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 contribute to high and effective product safety from a consumer’s point of view. They are tested on harmful substances and safe skin contact.