Rule is launched with 2012 Games in mind and should enable designers to source more sustainable materials

BRE Global has launched a standard that will make it easier for designers to specify responsibly sourced materials and products.

The BRE Environmental and Sustainability Standard has been developed in response to the increasing demand from specifiers who want to stipulate the use of responsibly sourced materials, notably companies involved in the 2012 Olympic Games.

The standard has been developed over the past 12 months. “It goes a step beyond environmental profiling of products and also focuses on ethical issues such as where the material comes from, how the workers producing it are treated and what the overall impact on the environment is,” says David Gall, director of the scheme at BRE.

The standard focuses on social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability and sets out a common framework against which comparisons can be made between products and materials.

To meet the standard, organisations must satisfy all the compulsory elements. In addition there are higher levels of compliance that can result in a higher performance rating being awarded. It will also provide a route to obtaining credits under the BREEAM schemes.

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