Most project teams aren’t short on sustainability information, they’re short on a way to compare it. Eco labels often measure different criteria, at different depths, with different verification methods, which makes product comparison complicated. Responsible Product Value is designed to simplify the process.
Responsible Product Value (RPV) is a single score used in Green Star and Homestar submissions to recognise sustainable building products backed by approved third-party certification initiatives. The Responsible Products Programme doesn’t certify products directly; it recognises existing certification schemes and calculates an RPV that project teams can use to meet responsible products credit requirements.
With building products subject to so many different eco and sustainability certifications, the Responsible Products Programme provides greater clarity, transparency and speed to architects and specifiers assessing materials and product sustainability certifications for project selection. The programme is run by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) in partnership with the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).
‘Ratings like Declare, Eco Choice Aotearoa and Cradle to Cradle each use different criteria when assessing products,’ explains Advance Flooring’s Product Manager Lincoln Macintyre, ‘The great thing about Responsible Product Value is it aggregates these and other overseas certifications into a single numerical value.’
RPV saves time by aggregating multiple certifications
‘The key benefit of RPV for architects is saving time,’ notes Lincoln. ‘Rather than deciphering hundreds of different certifications for thousands of products, architects now have access to a unified system that calculates the RPV score for each product.’
‘This allows them to quickly and easily compare products based on their environmental credentials using a single metric. The system also helps architects ensure they’re meeting Green Star requirements without having to reinvent the wheel for every project.’
For example, when a project is aiming for a Green Star rating, architects can simply plug in the RPV scores to demonstrate compliance without having to track down all the individual certifications, making it much more efficient to meet these standards.
Beyond saving time, the Responsible Products Programme also helps project teams prioritise products backed by recognised third-party initiatives, with clearer evidence for credits.
One simple RPV calculation to find ‘best practice’ products
Using the online Responsible Products Score Checker, architects and specifiers can quickly aggregate a product’s performance metrics, including human health, human rights, sustainability and circular economy. To use the platform, you need to create a GBCA online profile. Learn more.
‘The calculator gives you a single RPV value, with RPV ≥ 7 for credit achievement and RPV ≥ 12 as an exceptional performance pathway. This legitimises sustainability claims and helps eliminate “greenwashing” by ensuring that products are only counted if they are backed by internationally recognised third-party certification. So, it’s a simple, defensible metric for reports, marketing and ESG disclosures.’
As a manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of flooring products bearing multiple certifications, Advance Flooring uses the RPV system to consolidate those ratings, making product choices simpler and easier for our customers.
‘By supplying flooring that holds certificates with the most rigorous selection processes, many of our products achieve over RPV 12. And with the new Score Checker, we can demonstrate product compliance and claimed credits more efficiently for specifiers. Customers don’t need to go through every single label or reinvent a spreadsheet for every project.’
In summary, the Responsible Product Programme provides:
- one comparable RPV outcome based on a product’s recognised certifications
- a faster route to credit evidence for Green Star and Homestar submissions
- clearer product-to-product comparison for spec decisions
- a more defensible basis for sustainability reporting, because RPV relies on recognised initiatives.