The Drywall Finishing Council, a nonprofit organization with the goal of improving the practices and standards in the drywall finishing industry, has established the first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certification for drywall surfacing and finishing materials.

Since the 1990s, “green,” or sustainable, architecture has gone from design fad to design mandate. The Drywall Finishing Council EPD status provides verification of the ecological integrity and performance benefits of drywall surfacing and finishing products, such as joint compounds and tapes, plaster finishes, primers and sealants.

“Architects and designers today want full transparency about building materials—including what’s used in the earliest stages of a project,” said Bob Negri, president of Drywall Finishing Council. “Enacting the EPD is a testament to our ongoing commitment to educate and raise awareness within the community about the environmental implications of those products.”

The Drywall Finishing Council EPD earns points in the LEED certification process for commercial and residential projects, specifically for LEED v4, the current building standard. The Drywall Finishing Council EPD assists in achieving additional credits for high-performance green building certification through low volatile organic compounds  emissions to help improve indoor air quality.

“USG is incredibly proud to support the DWFC’s efforts, because the EPD status helps strengthen our dedication to sustainable manufacturing, and assures we give our customers materials that contribute to greener living and working spaces,” said Rik Master, (recently retired) senior manager of sustainability at USG.

The Drywall Finishing Council EPD is available to all DWFC members.

View the pdf here.