Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Choosing Laminates

There are many factors that go into choosing materials for a project. Since signage is part of a buildings interior, we typically build and design around particular ideas and specifications.

Laminates have been widely used in interior design over the years and are being incorporated into signage more and more (making signs part of the deSign). So, how do you choice which laminate to use? Are any "Greener" than others or are they all the same?

Most of the top manufacturers of laminates produce a product that is similar to what their competitors produce. A few companies like Wilsonart, Formica and Nevamar have separated themselves from the rest of the pack by having several of their product lines GREENGUARD certified.

GREENGUARD Environment Institute (GEI) is a third-party testing program for low-emitting products and materials. All GREENGUARD Certified products are regularly tested to ensure that their chemical and particle emissions meet acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) pollutant guidelines and standards. GREENGUARD Certification is a valuable tool for architects, designers, product specifiers, and signage companies use low-emitting products for indoor environments. All GREENGUARD certified products meet the requirements needed for LEED points.

Selecting laminates for environmentally conscious signage is all about methodology. Sometimes you have to use laminates for a variety of reasons. In these cases, choosing one that is GREENGUARD Certified is a good place to start.

No comments: