We’ve been receiving some questions regarding the “greenness” of Continental Industries. Likewise, many HVAC distributors and contractors are receiving inquiries from customers regarding the environmental sustainability of product lines that they carry.
So, is Continental green? There is no straightforward “yes” or “no” answer to this question. Either answer, without background context, would be misleading.
Green initiatives are both emerging and broad in scope. Let’s break it down in terms of green buildings and green building products:
The goal of building green is to create environmentally sustainable buildings—theoretically zero impact homes or commercial/institutional properties.
The leading system for evaluating the environmental sustainability of buildings is the LEED system from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC; www.usgbc.org). LEED is a voluntary rating program for new construction (LEED-NC), existing buildings (LEED-EB), portions thereof, or particular types of buildings. While initially focused on commercial construction, more recently the USGBC has also issued standards related to homes (still in Pilot phases).
The caveats and particulars differ between the various LEED rating systems. Generally, however, the systems look at the following major areas and award points to the construction project based on these areas:
- Site Selection/Location
- Water Efficiency
- Design Innovation
- Energy & Atmosphere
- Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
- Materials & Resources
As points accumulate, the building can be awarded levels of recognition such as Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Generally, those of us involved in the HVAC arena can contribute to LEED points in terms of the Energy & Atmosphere and IEQ sections.
As the demand for building green has grown, so has the demand for “green products.” It is important to understand that no Continental products, nor ANY competing products, are certified as green. The USGBC does not certify products at all.
There are other organizations focused on certifying green products (such as Greenguard, Green Seal, and EcoLogo). However, NONE of these programs are designed to certify any HVAC components with the exception of a few types of powered equipment which can earn the EPA’s Energy Star certification.
As a manufacturer, we have to be especially sensitive to “green-washing.” This term refers to exaggerated claims about the environmental sustainability of products. We do not wish to make any unsupported claims regarding the “greenness” of our products.
Suffice it to say, that we strive to be good stewards of resources made available to us. The materials we use in manufacturing are inherently recycled. For example, steel, by its nature, has at least 20% recycled content. By the same token, we recycle scrap metal, wood pallets, cardboard packaging, etc. and use such material to the extent possible.
Still, the individual products that we produce are not, and cannot be, certified as green by any current system or organization. However, the proper use of our products can help the entire mechanical system achieve both LEED points and, more importantly, improved energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
We will continue to seek environmentally responsible methods of delivering products to you. Likewise, we’ll continue to explore the potential greening of Continental products.
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