TORONTO—MechoSystems announces that it has passed one of the nation’s most comprehensive sustainability evaluation programs for a second time.
The company’s award-winning UrbanShade System with EcoVeil shadecloth has received Cradle to Cradle Silver certification from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), a leading sustainable product development and consulting firm. The UrbanShade and EcoVeil window-covering system is the second of MechoSystems to be Cradle to Cradle certified. The Mecho/5 manual shade with EcoVeil was the first window-covering system to earn the certification.
“We are proud again to have achieved Cradle to Cradle certification from MBDC,” says Jan Berman, president of MechoSystems. “Providing healthy and sustainable solutions is part of our core philosophy, and it’s gratifying to be recognized for our efforts by an entity that has led the way in helping businesses incorporate sustainable principles into the way they think and operate.”
Developed by architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart, Cradle to Cradle certification gives companies a means to clearly assess and demonstrate achievements in sustainable design. The program evaluates products in five categories: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, water stewardship and social responsibility.
In keeping with the tenets of the Cradle to Cradle framework, both the UrbanShade manual shade and the EcoVeil shadecloth can be recycled into new, first-quality products. This makes the most of their materials and eliminating waste. The materials are almost perpetually recyclable and are classified by MBDC as technical nutrients.
The UrbanShade System also helps the environment by allowing buildings to be more energy-efficient, minimizing solar-heat gain through the shadecloth and by reducing excessive HVAC use. The shadecloth also prevents excessive brightness and glare from direct sunlight, allowing indoor lighting to be used more efficiently.
EcoVeil shadecloth has low measurable volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Its open weave allows for visual transparency, provides building occupants with outdoor views, and has a positive impact on health and productivity.
