FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Roxanne Morris
April 12, 2023 T: 864-646-8453
Demand for Sustainable Building Products Met with
SRI and LRV Testing Options
(Clemson, SC)— International Product Assurance (IPA) Laboratories (formerly the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Product Performance Testing Laboratory) announces solar reflectance and light reflectance testing options important for determining LEED Building Credit compliance.
“We’ve seen a dramatic rise in our customers’ needs to test their building products for sustainable characteristics,” said Katelyn Simpson, Director of Laboratory Services at IPA Laboratories. “We’ve updated the lab with the latest state-of-the-art equipment for determining solar reflectance index (SRI) and light reflectance value (LRV).”
SRI is a value based on solar reflectance (a measure of solar energy reflected by a surface) and thermal emittance (a measure of a material’s ability to radiate heat). Results can be used to obtain LEED sustainable sites (SS) credits for heat island reduction when roofing materials have a minimum SRI of 82 for low-sloped roofs and 39 for steep-sloped roofs, or when paving materials have a minimum SRI of 33.
LRV is a measure of how much light a material can reflect. LEED indoor environmental quality (IEQ) credits for interior lighting are available when interior finishes with a surface reflectance greater or equal to 80% for ceilings and 55% for walls are used. Credits are also available for furniture finishes with a surface reflectance greater or equal to 45% for work surfaces and 50% for movable partitions.
Credits toward conformance with ANSI A138.1 and Green Squared® certification are also available with SRI and LRV results. IPA Laboratories offers testing for any product seeking these or other LEED credits.
“These testing results are critical for manufacturers to understand, and for specifiers and designers to utilize, when aiming to satisfy the marketplace and regulatory demand for sustainable building,” noted Bill Griese, TCNA Deputy Executive Director.
A full list of testing services can be found at www.IPALaboratories.com. For assistance or to discuss custom testing with the lab team, email testing@IPALaboratories.com, or call 855-IPA-LABS.
To locate Green Squared Certified® sustainable building products, visit www.GreenSquaredCertified.com.
About International Product Assurance (IPA) Laboratories
International Product Assurance Laboratories (formerly the TCNA Product Performance Testing Laboratory) offers unparalleled third-party, ISO 17025 accredited, independent laboratory services including testing of ceramic, glass, and stone tiles and panels, concrete products such as pavers, all countertop surfacing materials, composite materials such as LVT, LVP, and rigid core products, materials used in the installation of hard surface floor and wall coverings, and related raw materials. IPA Laboratories also offers antiviral, antibacterial, and other microbiological testing and research. The lab is located adjoining the Clemson University Innovation Campus and Technology Park with access to a broad spectrum of equipment including SEM, TEM, GCMS, FTIR, ICP-EMS, and more.
About Tile Council of North America (TCNA)
TCNA is a trade association representing manufacturers of ceramic tile, tile installation materials, tile equipment, raw materials and other tile-related products. Established in 1945 as the Tile Council of America (TCA), it became the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) in 2005, reflecting its membership expansion to all of North America.
The Tile Council is recognized for its leadership role in facilitating the development of North American and international industry quality standards to benefit tile consumers. Additionally, TCNA regularly conducts independent research and product testing, works with regulatory, trade, and other government agencies, and publishes installation guidelines, tile standards, economic reports, and promotional literature.
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