‘QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS’ IN ACCORDANCE WITH ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFICATION
Saint-Gobain Eurocoustic supplies products that comply with legal and regulatory requirements. The quality management systems standard aims to increase customer satisfaction through a number of tools. It is an effective application of the system as well as an assurance of the conformity of our products.
‘ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS’ IN ACCORDANCE WITH ISO 14001: 2015 CERTIFICATION
The Saint-Gobain Eurocoustic plant in Genouillac (23) is certified ISO 14001: 2004 ‘Environmental Management System’.
This certification expresses Saint-Gobain Eurocoustic's desire to set up an organisation that enables it to continuously improve the impact of its activities, products and services on the environment. In addition to complying with legal and environmental requirements, our actions mainly concern waste management (quantity reduction, recovery and recycling) and the reduction of energy consumption.
‘ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS’ ACCORDING TO ISO 50001 : 2011 CERTIFICATION
The Saint-Gobain Eurocoustic plant in Genouillac (23) is certified ISO 50001 : 2011 ‘Energy Management Systems’. This certification enables the company to ensure continuous improvement in its energy performance, which includes energy efficiency, use and consumption.
With this in mind, we meet specific requirements for designing, implementing, maintaining and improving our energy management system.
In Europe, since 1 July 2007, CE marking for suspended ceilings has been :
A passport for their free movement within the European Union.
A commitment to comply with the requirements of the suspended ceiling product standard specifying the requirements and test methods.
In Europe, since 1 July 2013, construction products covered by a harmonised standard or conforming to their European Technical Assessment must be accompanied by a Declaration of Performance (DOP). The DOPs for our products can be downloaded from the ‘Advice and Documentation’ section.
PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS
In accordance with ISO 14044, we have analysed the environmental and health impact of our products using Life Cycle Assessment. This robust methodology is based on international standards and takes into account the entire life cycle of the product.
The results of each of our products are communicated on Environmental and Health Data Sheets (EHSDS), verified by a third party and downloadable from the INIES database: www.inies.fr.
Aware of the environmental challenges facing its customers, Eurocoustic is committed to sustainable construction by offering products that combine comfort, safety and health for users, while helping to reduce the environmental footprint of buildings.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATION (EPD)
An EPD (known as FDES in French) is characterized by three elements:
-
Its Functional Unit: This is the reference unit in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It expresses the environmental impacts of a construction element over its typical lifespan (TLS). The TLS of an Eurocoustic product is similar to that of a building (50 years).
Examples of functional units: 1m², 1 kg, etc. -
Its Scope: From cradle to the factory gate OR From cradle to grave
- The Origin of Its Data:
- Manufacturer: If the data is specific to the manufacturer’s products, it is determined under the responsibility of the manufacturer.
- Professional Union: For generic data based on the average performance of products from different manufacturers in the market.
It should be noted that the validity period of an EPD is five years.
The Benefits of an FDES:
An FDES (EPD) offers several benefits: it is objective, qualitative, and quantitative, and is provided in a standardized format. Unlike product labels, which are neither standardized nor comprehensive, an FDES is designed to assist project owners, designers, and construction companies in:
- Choosing their materials
- Calculating the environmental impact of their project, taking into account the FDES of each product used in the project
- Obtaining environmental building certification, as an FDES helps earn points according to each certification framework.
Since March 2017, all Eurocoustic products have an FDES verified by a third party. These sheets can be downloaded from the INIES database: www.inies.fr.
Certain regulations and a shift in the market toward more sustainable buildings have driven the development of environmental certifications.
Using a certification is not mandatory. It is a voluntary approach decided by the building owner to construct a building that is more environmentally friendly and promotes the health of its occupants.
A number of regulations and a shift in the market towards more sustainable buildings have led to the development of environmental certifications.
Certification is not compulsory. It is a voluntary approach decided by the building owner, with the aim of constructing a building that is more respectful of the environment and the health of its occupants.
Please note: these certifications only concern buildings, not products.
The most widespread certifications are BREEAM® (UK), LEED® (US/Canada), NF HQE™ (France), VERDE® (Spain), CASBEE (Japan), DGNB (Germany), Green Star (Australia).
In France, the three certifications used are: NF HQE™, BREEAM® and LEED
Saint-Gobain Eurocoustic obtains Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze certification in version 4.0
Eurocoustic, part of the Saint-Gobain group, has obtained Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze certification for the majority of its mineral wool products, from Eurocoustic. Eurocoustic is one of the first companies to be awarded this certification under the enhanced criteria of the latest version 4.0.
By achieving Cradle to Cradle Certified® (C2C Certified) version 4.0 certification at Bronze level, Eurocoustic has demonstrated outstanding performance in six sustainability categories: Platinum for environmental policy and management, Silver for product circularity, renewable energy and carbon management, water and soil management, and Bronze for materials health and social equity.
Being one of the first companies to achieve the demanding Version 4.0 certification for its products marks an important milestone that positions Eurocoustic at the forefront of sustainable acoustic design, combining environmental and social responsibility with material health and quality.
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® framework is internationally recognised for its rigorous assessment of products along sustainability dimensions such as health, circularity and responsible manufacturing. Consistent with leading sustainable building certifications such as LEED and WELL, Cradle to Cradle Certified® is verified by an external third party and requires recertification every three years.
Cradle to Cradle Certified® Version 4.0 covers Eurocoustic's mineral wool ceiling ranges, including Tonga® White, Minerval® and Tonga® Ultra Clean, produced at the Genouillac factory in France and the Gliwice factory in Poland.
About Eurocoustic
Saint-Gobain Eurocoustic designs and develops mineral wool ceilings and wall panels and specialises in the suspended ceiling market, recognised as an expert in acoustic correction, fire protection and thermal and acoustic insulation. Eurocoustic is part of the Saint-Gobain group, a world leader in the building materials sector, with the aim of offering solutions for comfortable and more energy-efficient buildings. Its mission is to ‘make the world a better place’ through its subsidiaries in more than 67 countries.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a system for assessing the environmental quality of buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 1998.
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM®) is a British certification standard developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE).
NF HQE™ (High Environmental Quality) certification is an environmental management system developed in France in 1997 by the HQE association.
Cradle to Cradle Certified® Version 4.0 certification covers Eurocoustic's mineral wool ceiling ranges, including Tonga® White, Minerval® and Tonga® Ultra Clean, produced at the Genouillac plant in France and the Gliwice plant in Poland.
For more details on the contribution of Eurocoustic ceilings to the various certifications, we invite you to consult our Brochure ‘Environmental certifications for LEED®, BREEAM® and NF HQE™ buildings’.
The HQE approach includes all phases of a project from design to deconstruction of the building. Eurocoustic ceilings meet 7 of the 14 HQE targets and more particularly the following targets:
Eco-construction targets
This category includes target 2, focused on the integrated choice of construction products, systems and processes. Our ceilings can therefore be easily dismantled on construction sites. Then target 3, used on construction sites with low noise pollution. In fact, our ceiling tiles are easily cut without noise or dust.
Eco-management targets
Eurocoustic ceilings require very little maintenance. As a result, they meet Target 7 for maintenance management.
Comfort targets
This category includes targets 9 and 10.
Target 9 concerns acoustic comfort. The Eurocoustic ceiling range contributes to acoustic correction (intelligibility, sonority, listening comfort).
Target 10 focuses on visual comfort. Eurocoustic ceilings improve natural lighting conditions, enhance colour perception and have a beneficial impact on people's health.
Health targets
The health category includes targets 12 and 13.
Target 12 primarily concerns the health quality of spaces. Eurocoustic ceilings, made from stone wool, are manufactured with fibres that are exempt from carcinogenic classification (European Regulation 1272/2008 amended by European Regulation 790/2009).
Target 13 focuses on air quality. Some products in the Eurocoustic range of ceilings have an A+ Indoor Air Quality rating (see technical data sheets).
We spend most of our time inside buildings. The air we breathe has a direct impact on the quality of life and health of occupants, particularly those at risk such as children and the elderly. Healthy air prevents the development of chronic diseases.
To enable indoor air quality to be monitored, construction and decoration products must carry a label indicating, simply and legibly, their level of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, in accordance with the decree of 23 March 2011 and the order of 19 April 2011, amended by the order of 20 February 2012. Emission tests are carried out in accordance with ISO 16000-9 standards (emission test chamber), with formaldehyde analysis to ISO 16000-3 and VOC analysis to ISO 16000-6. The emission level of the product is indicated by a class ranging from A+ (very low emissions) to C (high emissions), based on the principle already used for household appliances or vehicles.
- Eurocoustic products are labelled in accordance with regulations on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and our ceilings are classified A+ or A. They are also classified E1, the best possible class, for formaldehyde emissions in accordance with standard EN 717-1&2.
- The Acoustished® CV range has been awarded the Excell Zone Verte label for Indoor Air Quality. This label controls not only VOC emissions but also those of other pollutants (pesticides, phthalates, bisphenol A, etc.) in order to anticipate future regulations. The Acoustished® CV range can therefore be used in demanding food and wine premises.