grams, LEEDv4 and the Living Building
Challenge, under the materials and resources
section. Thus, it will continue to come up in
conversations where stone is a specified
building product on a project that has
sustainability at the forefront. By understanding
the intent of the standard along with what goes
into becoming certified, contractors will be able
to become a resource in the recommendation of
particular materials that will align with a project’s
goals.
THE STANDARD’S EXTERNAL RECOGNITION
Groups like the International Living Future
Institute (ILFI) and US Green Building Council
(USGBC) make it a priority to educate and inform
thousands of architects, builders and developers
of the best choices when it comes to design and
materials. Their respective building rating
systems, ILFI’s Living Building Challenge (LBC)
and USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED), specifically set
forth guidelines for the sourcing of responsible
materials.
For the Natural Stone Council to align and get
recognition from those two groups was crucial.
In order to do so, connections were made with
the appropriate contacts at ILFI, USGBC, Green
Globes and the International Green Construction
Code to present the new standard. This was
essential for the groups to understand the
long-term sustainability practices that have been
in place for natural stone and the continuousimprovement
mindset that the standard supports.
The journey to develop ANSI/NSC 373 for
alignment with LEED and LBC, the NSC S
ustainability Committee worked closely with
third-party organizations including Jack Geibig at
Ecoform of Knoxville, Tenn., and NSF
International of Ann Arbor, Mich., to determine
the sustainable footprint of how stone is quarried,
transported and processed. In addition, ANSI/
NSC 373 was developed using the
consensus-based ANSI (American National
Standards Institute) process and can be applied
internationally with certification by a third-party
certifier like NSF International.
56 | Masonry Design
In October 2016, NSC announced ANSI/NSC 373
is recognized in the latest versions of both the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) program and the International Living
Future Initiative’s (ILFI’s) Living Building
Challenge (LBC). Recognition in LEED v4 falls
under the Building Product Disclosure and
Optimization–Sourcing of Raw Materials. Within
LBC version 3.1, the Material Petal advocates for
ANSI/NSC 373 under Responsible Industry.
Design teams desiring to source sustainable
stone in their projects can write the standard
into the project’s specifications. Architects are
urged to update their documentation to include
language indicating a preference for stone from
ANSI/NSC 373-certified companies, as well as
the NSC COC designation.
Architects also benefit from the standard’s
clarification of certain misconceptions in the
industry. Most natural stone quarries have a small
footprint as compared to possibly a large building
excavation in the city or mineral mining
operations. Most of the certified quarries have
operated in one location for many decades,
creating material for thousands of residential and
nonresidential construction projects in a small
footprint. Beyond its ability to bring clarity to some
misconceptions, the standard’s biggest benefit for
architects is perhaps third-party verification. For
years, the stone industry has either not reported
or self-reported its practices relating to
sustainability, but the new standard requires
third-party verification. For quarriers and
fabricators, this third-party verification is a key
component of the process because it confirms
authenticity.
As more projects and design teams specify
certified stone, the entire construction industry
will reap the benefits. Awareness of this important
product designation will be generated, and the
bar will be raised for stone production and
fabrication across the globe.