b' Vegetative roofsare popularwithminimalmeaningfuldataBe honest:Avoid the temptationmanufacturersprovideToensureyourcompanyis inurbanareas.Coveredinto back them up. Litigation alsoto say anything to keep customersstatements and representationsprotected, evaluate the materials vegetation, the roofs absorbmay focus on companies falselyhappy. If a clever label impliesregardingsustainabilityandyou install and be upfront about rainwater, reduce runoff andcertifying their products or fail- materialsaresustainablebutgreen initiatives, if you activelytheirbenefits.provideinsulation,whichingtobetransparentincom- they actually are not, you maymake similar statements duringTrentCotney isapartner can result in energy savings. municatingtheenvironmentalbesettingyourcompanyupthesalesprocess,especiallyandpracticegroupleaderattheCoolroofs arespecificallyimpacts of their products.for failure. Your customers willrelated to performance, you andlaw firm Adams and Reese LLP, designedtoreflectsunlightWhen the term greenwashingcome to distrust you, and yourthe manufacturer may be liableTampa,Fla.,andNRCAsgen-andabsorblessheatthanwasfirstcoined,mostlawsuitsreputation will suffer. Althoughfor misrepresentation. eralcounsel.those made from traditionalwerespearheadedbygovern-materials. They can decreasement regulators or environmen-the need for air conditioning,talistsfocusingonoilandgas leadingtolowercarboncompanies. Now, consumers are emissions and energy use. filing claims alleging items theyRecycledroofingmateri- are buying are not as eco-friend- alsare made from materialslyasthecompaniesclaimed. such as recycled rubber, metalIn addition, state governments andplastic.Thisoptionaregettinginvolved.Forex-divertswastefromlandfillsample,NewYorkAttorney andreducestheneedtoGeneralLetitiaJamesrecently produce new material, whichannounced her office would be aids in waste reduction andsuingJBS,theworldsbiggest resource conservation. meatcompany,formisleading its customers about its environ-Greenwashing mental commitments.Asthedemandforsustain- How to Prevent ability grows, so does the risk of greenwashing, which occurs whenGreenwashingbusinessesmakeexaggeratedorNearlyeveryindustryhas misleadingclaimsabouttheen- beenaffectedbygreenwashing vironmentaladvantagesoftheirclaims;however,todate,con-productsandservices.Environ- struction and roofing have not mentalist Jay Westerveld first usedbeen targeted. Nevertheless, you the term in the mid-1980s whenwould be wise to take steps to referencing hotels save a towelavoid future lawsuits. Consider campaigns, which urged custom- these guidelines:erstousefewertowelstohelp Usedata: Steerclearprotecttheenvironment.Itwasofusingvagueand revealed the only tangible result ofunsubstantiatedclaims the effort was lower laundry costs. thatyourmaterialsare Intheyearssince,automak- green or earth-friendly. ers,clothingmanufacturers,oilInstead, explain how your companies and others have inad- materials measure up based vertently or purposefully engagedonanindustry-relevantINDEPENDENT. ingreenwashing.Consumersinbaseline. Present verifiable, nearly every industry are demand- measurableterms.ingmoresustainablyproduced Bewaryofcarbonoff- UNBIASED.offerings,andbigbusinessesaresets:Many companies meet responding. But instead of adopt- environmentalgoalsbyCOMPREHENSIVE.ing climate-friendly practices, theypurchasing carbon offsets. might merely be using messagingHowever, there have been thatimpliestheirproductsareclaims of poor accounting sustainabletoappeasetheircus- andothersuspicious tomers.Termssuchasnaturalpracticesthathaveledtowww.dycon.ca|info@dycon.ca|1.800.749.8609orearth-friendlymayseemin- greenwashinglawsuits. nocent enough, but if there is noCarefullyconsider data to support those labels, cus- whetherthisapproach tomers can lose trust in the com- couldbedetrimentalto Roof Replacement & Project Management & panies that tout them. yourcompany.lain scope:If you claimAsphalt Pavement: Design,Work-In-Progress Quality Asenvironmentalregulations Expbecome stricter, the roofing indus- aproducthasloworSpecifications, Tendering &Assurance Inspectionstry is feeling the pressure to meetzeroemissions,considerContract Administrationaggressivebenchmarks.Assuch,thefulllifecycleofits Preventative Maintenance architects, owners and contractorsmanufacturing.This Roof, Building EnvelopeProgramsoftenmakematerialanddesignincludeswhoprovided choicesbasedonenvironmentalcomponentparts,how& Pavement Evaluations: Rooftop PV Solar factors.Inturn,manufacturersthe product was producedService Life Assessments,Consultations &andcontractorsmayadvertiseandhowitisdisposed.Capital Planning & theirofferingswithvaguetermsYoucanbeaccusedofMaintenance Plans Installation Inspectionssuch as green, carbon friendly,greenwashing if you imply carbon neutral or environmen- the full life cycle when you Thermographictally friendly. intend only one part of it. Roof Leak Management Infrared AnalysisMost greenwashing lawsuits in- Be specific when you make volve companies using these termssuchclaims.ORN THE ONLY SOURCE FOR PROFESSIONAL ICI ROOFING CONTRACTORS IN ONTARIO ONTARIO ROOFING NEWSISSUE 3 202423'