The agreement will support transparency between certification bodies and promote comparability of EPD in the worldwide marketplace. Built environment certification body BRE Global and UL Environment, a research and standards body that supports businesses and manufacturers to be more sustainable, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will see the partners work towards jointly recognising each other’s Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). EPD are a standardised way of independently measuring the environmental impact of a product or system over its lifetime and are used to help manufacturers target impact reductions throughout their supply chain. Manufacturers who develop a life cycle assessment for a product using core aspects of European standard EN 15804 and an agreed Product Category Rule (PCR) can then undergo an independent and globally recognised EPD certification by either BRE Global or UL Environment. The benefits are increased market visibility, and the ability to qualify for green building system credits worldwide like BRE’s international sustainability standard BREEAM and US-based standard LEED. David Richardson, Director of BRE’s Centre for Sustainable Products said, ‘This collaboration is an important development for the UK and US based construction sectors.  As well as working together for the benefit of manufacturers we will encourage other similar providers to follow suit and adopt a unified approach to global recognition of a product’s life time environmental credentials’. ‘As the demand for product transparency grows, we are always seeking to enhance comparability of products and simplify purchasing and specification decisions. Mutual recognition EPD accomplish this, while also making it easier for manufacturers to go to market globally,’ said Lisa Meier, Vice President and General Manager of UL Environment. For further information please contact Linda McKeown, BRE, email mckeownl@bre.co.uk, tel 01923 664569 NOTES TO EDITOR About BRE Global BRE Global Limited (incorporating LPCB & BREEAM) is an independent third party approvals body offering certification of fire, security and sustainability products and services to an international market.  BRE Global’s product testing and approvals are carried out by recognised experts in our world renowned testing laboratories. BRE Global Limited is custodian of a number of world leading brands including:

• LPCB for the approval of fire and security products and services, listed in the Red Books.
• BREEAM the world’s leading environmental assessment method for buildings, sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the de-facto measure of a building’s environmental performance.
• BRE Global is owned by the BRE Trust, a registered charity. The Trust uses the profits made by the BRE companies to fund research and education that advances knowledge of the built environment.  For more information, visit www.bre.co.uk

About UL Environment UL Environment works to advance global sustainability, environmental health, and safety by supporting the growth and development of environmentally preferable products, services, and organizations. We help companies achieve their sustainability goals—and help purchasers, specifiers, retailers, governments, and consumers find products they can trust. UL Environment offers environmental claim validations, multi-attribute product certifications, environmental product declarations, indoor air quality certification, product emissions testing, organizational sustainability certification, and consulting. For more information, visit www.ul.com/environment About UL UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for 120 years. Its more than 10,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. We partner with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, testing, inspection, advisory and education services, visit https://www.UL.com.