Island Block & Paving Products Measure Carbon Zero under Global GreenTag's CarbonRATE™

Island Block & Paving products have become the latest to be recognised for CarbonRate Zero under the Global GreenTagCertTM CarbonRATE™ program MEDIA RELEASE

CarbonRATE™ is Global GreenTag's carbon emission certification program. Following examination of data drawn from Island Block & Paving's product range that underwent an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) process to produce a Global GreenTag International EN 15804 EPD report, the products have achieved a 100% Carbon Zero rating after evaluation under Global GreenTag's CarbonRATE™ certification scheme.

Dr Nana Bortsie-Aryee, Program Director of Global GreenTag International and the Global GreenTagCertTM Product Certification Standards said:

"Island Block submitted four products from their "Sustainable Products for the Future" range; Blocks for the Future, Bricks for the Future, Pavers for the Future, Freestone ECO Retaining Wall System to the CarbonRATE™ program to quantify and show improvement of their carbon emissions. The products emerged from the assessment with very good CarbonRATE™ results. They show that throughout the life cycle of these products, from sourcing raw materials to the manufacturing processes and through to end of life and beyond, 100% of carbon emitted is being accounted for through a combination of emission reduction initiatives and carbon credits."

Global GreenTag's CarbonRATE™ program scientifically identifies a product's carbon impact and environmental protection index involving a third-party peer review process. The process provides a product with highly visible carbon performance graphics, including real carbon metrics to instantly communicate a product's climate performance in relation to emission reduction initiatives.

Through CarbonRATE™ certification, professional built environment bodies, likes architectural firms and construction companies can fully understand the energy-consuming and carbon-consuming links of products. They can better facilitate low-carbon management, save energy, reduce consumption, and save on production costs.

Dr Bortsie-Aryee adds:

"In these times, there needs to be a strong focus on the protection, restoration and rejuvenation of biodiversity to help hold back climate change. Island Block & Paving are proving to be acting in accordance with this biodiversity first type of approach. Their emission reduction initiatives to help decarbonise the built environment are designed into the products and their manufacturing processes. They demonstrate a commitment to support construction projects that are also aiming to lessen their impacts on the environment and contribute to the reversal of climate change "

Island Block & Paving CEO Jason Bassett,

"Since 1993 we have a strong focus on emissions reduction planning including the use of 37.6% recycled content, low energy curing methods, captured water and solar energy. For our 'Sustainable Products for the Future' to be the first Australian Carbon Neutral certified range of bricks, building blocks, pavers and retaining walls, is a reward for our committed team. This was the result of an intense audit process by Global GreenTag. The carbon neutral certification covers our entire sustainable range and importantly for designers there is no opt in carbon offset scheme requirements. The CarbonRATE third party verified certification gives specifiers comfort that all emission reduction claims are NOT just what we say, but what we do".

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Island Block & Paving's are the predominant manufacturer of sustainably certified masonry products. Their CarbonRATE carbon neutral certification compliments the company's Global GreenTag Level A certification and Platinum level Product Health Declaration, providing specifiers the comfort of third party verifications.

Global GreenTag International is a signatory to the World Green Building Council's (World GBC) #AdvancingNetZero program's Bringing Embodied Carbon Upfront Vision - a plan that encourages construction and infrastructure around the world to achieve a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and, achieving 100% net zero emission buildings by 2050.

Its introduction of CarbonRATE™ facilitates organizations and individuals to move to a low-carbon future by providing product carbon emission labelling that is robustly supported by ISO 14040 and 14044 LCA derived data. This has significant advantages in countries that have made climate commitments of "Under 2 degrees" or for companies with rapidly expanding levels of renewable or clean energy in their energy supply chains who are looking to make "Carbon Net Zero", "Carbon Sink", "Carbon neutral", "Carbon Peak", "Paris Agreement" or "Under 2" commitments.

The GreenTag CarbonRATE scheme measures and rates products across 3 categories of carbon performance metrics for example:

• Carbon Save i.e., 60%
• Carbon Net Zero (100% saved)
• Carbon Credit i.e., 140% (giving carbon back to nature – for example also providing a 40% Carbon Credit statement).

Ultimately, the scheme provides different options (either a carbon savings or credit status) of a product and, importantly shows how much carbon is saved compared to a Business-as-Usual product, commonly in the market that performs the same function.

For further information on Island Block & Paving, please view islandblock.com.au or contact Jackson Thurlow - Sales Manager via

For further information or to interview Dr Nana Bortsie-Aryee, please contact Debra Robertson via

MORE ABOUT GLOBAL GREENTAG INTERNATIONAL:
Global GreenTag™ International Pty Ltd assesses products for all aspects of impacts on human health, ethical labour supply and the environment. The company was established in 2010 as a third party verified Conformance Conformity Assessment Body that conducts the award winning Global GreenTagCert™ certification program, and a third party, multi-criteria, consensus based and externally verified Type 1 Ecolabelling Program that complies and operates under strict International Standards. Global GreenTag is legally approved as a Certification Mark operator by the ACCC in Australia and by equivalent government agencies in NZ, USA, Canada, and South Africa.

Global GreenTag websites and all marketing collateral for every product certified by Global GreenTag is verified as 'fit for purpose' and compliant with ISO 14021. What's more, Global GreenTag's governance and its own external verification and certification against standards such as ISO 14024 (Ecolabelling), ISO 17065 (Conformance Assessment) and ISO 9001 (Quality Management) among others, is unparalleled.

Voted one of the Top 100 Most Trusted Brands in Australia for 3 years running, Global GreenTag currently has more than 20,000 products in certification by over 250 manufacturers with factories in more than 20 countries. Global GreenTag™ certified products are determined as healthy for use using the best science available, with the results being peer reviewed by highly qualified, external consultant Toxicologists.