Boston, MA, February 11, 2010 – Even with the economy in the tank, interest in green products is on the rise. The Greenbuild International Conference & Expo last November expected a drop in attendance, but sold out the trade show floor with a waiting list and exceeded attendee estimates by 12,000 people. With this continuing momentum and proliferation of green products on the market, it’s increasingly difficult to know what’s really green.
In 2009, NEXUS surveyed its 16,000 building industry subscribers and the majority of respondents stated that “access to unbiased product information” was the predominant issue for making informed decisions. To meet this need and build on existing programs, The Green Roundtable / NEXUS has launched a new program: the Green Product Association (GPA). The Green Product Association, an international association, is the first inclusive platform to represent the entire life-cycle of products from construction through operations. The mission of the GPA is to lead an industry-wide market transformation so that building products meet a continuously increasing level of sustainability throughout their life cycle. The vision of GPA is that all products used in the built environment will be green, and that their performance criteria and metrics will be visible to all.
The Green Product Association has established key partner relationships to fulfill its mission of market transformation. UL Environment, providing 3rd party product certification and validation, will help solve the issue troubling most designers, “How do I know it’s not ‘greenwash’?.” GPA’s Global Trade Partners, who represent different countries through World Green Building Councils and International Trade Offices, will ensure widespread promotion in a global economy. Media Partners, such as the Real Estate Journal, with more than a million online news hits, are collaborating with GPA to give recognition to its members.
Progressive companies who are committed to GPA’s mission and demonstrating leadership are joining as Founding Members. These companies include Xerox, CBC Flooring, Jandris & Sons and Bostik. Benefits for GPA Founding Members are comprehensive, aiming to accelerate the sales cycle by connecting specifiers directly with green products. Edward (Chip) Braulick shares why CBC Flooring decided to become a Founding Member. “NEXUS and the newly-established Green Product Association have helped us refine our goals and commitments to advance sustainability to ensure we’re sourcing the most environmentally friendly products available from all around the globe.” GPA Members gain access to both the NEXUS and GPA brand recognition, advertising through media partners and trade shows, and visibility through the loyal green building community of 16,000 NEXUS subscribers and 12,000 event attendees.
GPA’s program calendar kicks off March 4th with a roundtable discussion at NEXUS led by Bill Walsh from the Healthy Building Network’s Pharos Project and Barbra Batshalom of NEXUS and the Green Product Association on “Transparency & Trends in Green Building Products.” This discussion is for architects, designers, manufacturers, distributors and other professionals involved in the specification of green products. Learn more about this event at www.nexusboston.org/events.
Product distributor GreenSource Solutions illustrates the impact of this broader platform to promote sustainable products. Representative William Blasek explains, “The exposure at NEXUS has been invaluable in launching our products. We can directly attribute sales of more than ½ million dollars last year to our displays at NEXUS. Even in a recession, directly attributable sales will likely at least match last year’s levels”.
The Green Product Association is currently accepting Founding Members through March 2010. Lead the dialogue around green products by becoming a GPA Founding Member by visiting www.nexusboston.org/greenproductassociation. Contact Tova Greenberg, Director of Business Development, at (617) 374-3740 x114 or [email protected].
The Green Roundtable / NEXUS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to mainstream green building through education, policy and technical assistance. NEXUS Resource Center, a 9,000 SF center in Downtown Boston, provides free resources, events and a wealth of information on green building and sustainable design to the building industry and the general public. www.nexusboston.org
