Boral Bricks Announces Cradle to Cradle Certification

Boral Bricks Inc.’s clay facing bricks produced in Salisbury, N.C., are Cradle to Cradle Certified – Silver. Boral says it has become a leader in sustainable manufacturing in the building products industry.

“We like to say brick is the original green building material and certifications like Cradle to Cradle help back that statement up,” says Bob Kepford, president of Boral Bricks. “This landmark certification adds credibility to the important work we’re doing to ensure our brick products are sustainable and have a positive impact on society, economics and the environment.”

The bricks achieved Cradle to Cradle Certification after an audit of all the materials used in their formulation down to 100 parts per million, and the processes used to manufacture them. The certification awarded by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry is a multi-attribute, eco-label that assesses a product’s safety to humans and the environment and design for future life cycles. Unlike single-attribute, eco-labels, the Cradle to Cradle Certification program takes a comprehensive approach to evaluating the sustainability of a product and the practices employed in manufacturing the product. The materials and manufacturing practices of each product are assessed in five categories: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship, and social responsibility.

Building projects seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council can use Cradle to Cradle Certified products to earn points for Environmentally Preferable Products in the LEED for Homes rating system or in the “Innovation in Design” category in all rating systems.