Let’s clarify: what do environmental certifications really mean?

4 February 2026

Environmental and health protection are now fundamental criteria in product selection. That is why we have developed solutions that enable designers, applicators and end customers to make informed choices based on specific safety and transparency criteria.

Our product certifications are not just labels; they are guidance tools that help you understand whether a material is suitable for a given environment, regulatory context or project objective.

Understanding these certifications helps you to choose the right product without compromising on health, performance or environmental impact. Below, we provide a simple explanation of what each certification means.

EMICODE® – Cleaner indoor air

EMICODE® is a voluntary certification scheme for installation and construction materials, including adhesives, sealants, and mortars. Products are classified according to their VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions, i.e. substances that can evaporate into the air in indoor environments.

A product certified to EC1 Plus belongs to the highest class, with extremely low emissions that are practically harmless to health. In practice, EMICODE® certification guarantees that the materials used do not release invisible, potentially harmful substances into the air we breathe every day.

CAM - Environmental criteria for public buildings

The CAM (Minimum Environmental Criteria), as defined in the Ministerial Decree of 11 October 2017 and updated in the Ministerial Decree of 24 November 2025, regulate the awarding of contracts for public building works in Italy. They set out strict environmental requirements, including strict limits on the emissions of hazardous substances from building materials, as set out in point 2.4.1, ‘Emissions in indoor environments (indoor pollution)’, in Annex I.

The CAM are more than just ‘rules for procurement’; they represent a genuine safety filter for public buildings, safeguarding both the environment and those who use them.

LEED - assessing the sustainability of the building as a whole.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) protocol, established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), does not certify individual products, but rather entire buildings. It is an international rating system in which buildings receive points based on their efficiency and sustainability, with the highest levels being Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Our products help designers and builders to obtain EQ Low-Emitting Materials credits under the LEED v4.1 system, enabling them to create buildings that are true champions of sustainability.

EPD - full transparency throughout the product life cycle.

An EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is not a self-declared environmental label. Rather, it is a document certified by independent third parties which provides an objective description of a product’s environmental impact throughout its life cycle (from production to disposal).
The EPD measures parameters such as:

  • energy consumption
  • CO₂ emissions
  • resource use

While it does not categorise products as “good” or “bad” in absolute terms, it provides clear, verified and comparable data, enabling informed, fact-based choices.