GECA Certification: Leading the Way in Sustainable Steel Products

Industry leaders are praising InfraBuild’s leadership after it became the first organisation to have products certified by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) under its Steel & Steel Products (SSPV1.0I-2019) standard.

GECA announced in August select InfraBuild reinforcing bar and reinforcing mesh products had been independently certified as meeting the requirements of GECA’s Steel & Steel Products lifecycle ecolabel standard.

GECA said InfraBuild had its products independently assessed against 44 critical science-based environmental, health, social and quality impact criteria which included toxicity, air quality, energy use, recyclability and water consumption.

Green Building Council of Australia CEO, Davina Rooney is among those who have applauded the work done by InfraBuild and the recognition of that by GECA.

“As Australia’s built environment rapidly transitions to use healthy, low impact materials that drive down carbon and support a circular economy, we need leaders from all sectors to step up and show the way,” Ms Rooney said.

“InfraBuild’s recent GECA certification is the leadership our industry needs as we move towards better buildings for a better future. This is an achievement we commend and leadership we are grateful for.”

Infrastructure Sustainability Council Chief Delivery Officer Patrick Hastings said the certification is significant for business and customers.

“InfraBuild achieving a Type 1 sustainability label on their reinforcing bar and reinforcing mesh products is a testimony to the company’s sustainability commitment,” Mr Hastings said.

“The achievement of the GECA Certification is recognised through the IS Rating Scheme as best practice for products. The use of this product is rewarded under the materials and resource credits in the IS Rating Scheme.”

thinkstep-anz worked with InfraBuild on EPDs and a Materiality Assessment and commended the company on achieving the GECA standard.

“Since working with InfraBuild (then OneSteel) on their first EPDs in 2016 we got to know an organisation that always stretches to lead the sector’s sustainability efforts,” Impact Director Nicole Sullivan said.

“We’re excited to continue this partnership and be part of InfraBuild’s journey towards a more sustainable future.”

InfraBuild’s GECA certification means that select InfraBuild reinforcing bar and reinforcing mesh products are recognised as ‘Best Practice products’ under the Green Building Council of Australia’s new Green Star Buildings ratings tool, via the Responsible Product Framework (v1.1). These certified products can contribute to a Responsible Product Value (RPV) of 15, the highest level of recognition achievable for the following Credits: 

• Responsible Structure
• Responsible Envelope
• Responsible Systems
• Responsible Finishes

The ISC’s latest ratings tool, ISv2.1, also recognises GECA Certification in the RSO-7 credit, which covers ‘Sustainability Labelled Products and Supply Chains’.  GECA Certification is a Type I ‘ISC Approved Environmental Label’, which provides the highest possible Sustainability Factor of 1.0 in this credit.

GECA’s third-party assessment procedures and robust standards following internationally recognised ISO 14024 principles mean that GECA certification is trusted and rigorous – providing confidence to asset owners, designers, specifiers, contractors, sustainability professionals and procurement specialists.  

View InfraBuild’s GECA licence here