DELTA®-VENT SA Declared Red List Free for LEED® v4 Credits

One of the philosophies we subscribe to here is wrapped up in the idea of doing something because we should, not just because we have to. Do we work hard to ensure our products meet code? Of course. But do we stop there? Of course not.

The latest example of both our commitment to the highest standards and our efforts to push better building practices comes in the form of a Declare label for DELTA®-VENT SA. In order to achieve this label, a manufacturer/company is required to:

• Pay an application fee;
• Complete both a preliminary and final review of their product to achieve certification;
• Be subject to an evaluation that produces prescriptive requirements for the Living Building Challenge that must be followed/met;
• Await a final review, to be performed 12 months after a product is released; and finally
• Have said certification reviewed once every two years or when there are significant changes to the product or its supply chain.

So, why would we voluntarily apply for such a label when it’s not required by the industry? Well, to start, Declare is a transparency platform and product database that is changing the materials marketplace. And we’re all about transparency. A Declare label provides a platform for public disclosure that surpasses many other materials labels. To borrow from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), “Declare takes complex chemical analysis and raw material source location information and provides it to consumers in an elegant, easy-to-use ‘nutrition label’.”

On top of being transparent, we are invested in the movement toward greener building practices and creating energy-efficient buildings. Declare meets the requirements of the LEED v4 materials inventory and toxic chemical avoidance credit. And not only did DELTA®-VENT SA qualify for the Declare label, it was also deemed Living Building Challenge Red List Free. To put that into context, there are three compliance levels of the Red List. Per the ILFI:

• Declared: Declared products have voluntarily self-disclosed at least 99% of their ingredients in order to promote transparency in the materials marketplace. Declared products contain Red List ingredients that do not qualify for an established exception and thus cannot be used on Living Building Challenge projects. Manufacturers will still be recognized for their commitment to transparency.
• LBC Compliant: Compliant products have disclosed at least 99% of ingredients and/or meet the requirements of the Red List Imperative of the Living Building Challenge due to an established temporary exception.
• LBC Red List Free: Red List Free products have disclosed all ingredients and none of those ingredients are on the Living Building Challenge Red List.

Here at Dörken, we are very sensitive to protecting our environment while producing high-quality, sustainable products that will create healthier living environments. We don’t settle for ‘good enough.’ We believe quality and sustainability go hand in hand, and our decisions are guided by our commitment to producing products that achieve both.

Click here to learn more about our green efforts with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). And here, to read about the Edelweiss House; a hyper-efficient cold-climate house that earned the first LEED® v4 Certification in Canada.