Westlake Royal Building Products, one of North America’s largest manufacturers and distributors of exterior and interior building products, is pleased to announce that its parent company Westlake Corp. has achieved two years of +Vantage Vinyl certification.
+Vantage Vinyl is a voluntary, independent, third-party verification program, which Vinyl Sustainability Council (VSC) members use to certify their contributions toward continuous improvement in each of the impact categories: resource recovery, emissions, health and safety. To secure the +Vantage Vinyl mark, Westlake must prove each year that it has met the rigorous requirements outlined by the program’s guiding principles and has integrated sustainability activities and key performance indicators into the business as required by the initiative.
“We are thrilled that Westlake has received the +Vantage Vinyl certification for a second year, which is a demonstration of our company’s dedication to sustainable business practices,” says Steve Booz, vice president of marketing, Westlake Royal Building Products. “While we realize sustainable initiatives are ongoing, we hope to inspire other organizations to be responsible leaders in advancing an industry-wide approach to sustainability.”
Westlake uses Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) software, which was developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to analyze the environmental life cycle of its products, from raw materials to waste management policies. The BEES software has shown that throughout its life cycle, vinyl releases significantly fewer toxic chemicals into the environment than other siding materials and has a lower overall environmental impact.
Westlake Royal Building Products uses PVC resin as the backbone of Royal vinyl and Exterior Portfolio vinyl siding. This is derived from components in nature, such as common salt and natural gas, that make PVC weather-resistant, chemically stable and lightweight.
“Compared to vinyl siding, fiber cement contributes almost four times the global warming potential; more than two times the acidification; and more than three-and-a-half times the air pollution,” adds Booz. “We are also leading the charge, along with the Vinyl Siding Institute, in investigating methods of post-consumer recycling of PVC.”
+Vantage Vinyl is the only sustainability initiative that allows participation from all companies within the entire vinyl value chain with U.S. operations, ranging from raw material manufacturers and suppliers to final product manufacturers and retailers. Learn more about the +Vantage Vinyl program.