NSF P391 :: Sustainable Certification
Every industry has a certification body and the interior design industry is no different. Mindy Costello writes:
There’s some good news for A&D firms looking for a competitive edge: Designers and architects can now market their services as “more sustainable,” and have a certification mark to prove it. It’s called the NSF General Sustainability Assessment Criteria for Services and Service Providers Protocol 391 (P391), and it applies to interior design and architectural firms, as well as a host of other service providers, including engineers, plumbers, contractors and consultants.
This new certification promises to help design professionals stand out in a crowded marketplace, and will be of particular benefit to firms seeking to work with government agencies and environmentally minded organizations.
There are three criteria to Protocol 391. They include environmental data prerequisites, labor criteria addressing health and safety and social responsibility.
Social Responsibility is an important aspect that helps define this protocol as a sustainability assessment, as opposed to an environmental assessment. Included in criteria for this section are requirements for an ethics policy and policies against corruption. An optional criterion awards points to organizations that have a defined engagement program that actively seeks input from community stakeholders.
ZeroLandfill is a path that interior designers, architects, facility managers and construction managers participate in to help manage expired specification samples. ZeroLandfill is not merely a recycling program, but a beneficial reuse program that engages with the local community to provide much needed resources for under funded schools, artists and programs.
Holly Baird from ZeroLandfill Nashville and Ashley Barnett Griffith from ZeroLandfill Austin offer their perspective on NSF P391. Read the full article in the July Interiors and Sources and Buildings.com.
Interested in learning more about ZeroLandfill and how to get one started in your community? Let us know at info [at] zerolandfill.net
