Which flooring certifications count for LEED and WELL? FloorScore, EPDs and Declare explained
FloorScore covers emissions, EPDs cover life-cycle impact, and Declare labels and HPDs cover ingredients. What each one proves, which LEED and WELL requirements it supports, and which floors carry them.
Short answer: three kinds of documentation do most of the work for flooring on LEED and WELL projects. FloorScore shows a floor meets the CDPH Standard Method v1.2 limits for VOC emissions and supports LEED's Low-Emitting Materials credit and WELL's VOC requirements. A product-specific Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) reports the floor's life-cycle environmental impact and supports LEED's EPD disclosure credit. A Declare label or Health Product Declaration (HPD) discloses ingredients and supports LEED's Material Ingredients credit and WELL's materials transparency features. Each certificate covers the named product only, so collect one for every floor and adhesive on the project.
What each certification proves
| Documentation | What it proves | Issued by | LEED v4.1 | WELL v2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FloorScore | VOC emissions within CDPH Standard Method v1.2 (California Section 01350) limits | SCS Global Services | Low-Emitting Materials | VOC restrictions for products |
| EPD (Type III, ISO 14025 / ISO 21930) | Life-cycle environmental impacts, such as embodied carbon, measured to a product category rule | Program operator (for example SCS) | Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: EPDs | Materials optimization and transparency |
| Declare label | Ingredient disclosure; "Red List Free" means no chemicals on the Living Building Challenge Red List | International Living Future Institute | Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Material Ingredients | Materials transparency |
| HPD | Ingredient disclosure and associated health hazards | HPD Collaborative | Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Material Ingredients | Materials transparency |
| Recycled content | Share of pre- and post-consumer recycled material | Manufacturer declaration | Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Sourcing of Raw Materials | Materials optimization |
Credit and feature names change between rating-system versions. Confirm requirements against the version your project is registered under.
Which Yorkshore floors carry what
| Product | Type | Emissions | EPD | Ingredients and content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABMarathon (tile and stair treads) | Homogeneous rubber | FloorScore SCS-FS-01492 | Product-specific EPD (2025 to 2030) | Declare Red List Free |
| ABPure | Rubber tile and sheet | Confirm on data sheet | Confirm on data sheet | Declare Red List Free |
| ABDefender | Rubber stair treads | Confirm on data sheet | Confirm on data sheet | Declare Red List Free (program-wide) |
| Texas Granite | Solid vinyl tile | FloorScore SCS-FS-01495 | Confirm on data sheet | Confirm on data sheet |
| Floortress, Floorida | LVT | FloorScore (CDPH method) | Confirm on data sheet | Phthalates test pass (ASTM D7823) |
| Mirra, Sonata | LVT | FloorScore certified | Confirm on data sheet | Confirm on data sheet |
| Nature's Collection | Cork and recycled rubber tile | FloorScore SCS-FS-02144 | SCS-EPD-03589 | Recycled content 81.06% (Low Color), 14.77% (High Color) |
| Walk Soft | Recycled rubber tile | FloorScore SCS-FS-02144 | SCS-EPD-03589 | Recycled content 62 to 90%, by color blend |
| Evolution | Recycled rubber tile | FloorScore SCS-FS-02144 | Confirm on data sheet | Made from recycled truck tires with EPDM color granules |
| Engineered hardwood (Grand Width, Southport, Westport, Oak Superior) | Wood | FloorScore | Confirm on data sheet | Confirm on data sheet |
| Fletco contract carpet (COM 1000, Nordic, Zenith, Stellar) | Woven and tufted carpet, broadloom and tile | Confirm on data sheet | Cradle-to-grave CO2e declared for each contract quality; confirm whether it is published as an EPD | Made without bitumen, latex, PVC and PFAS; recycled PET backings; Stellar uses regenerated nylon (Econyl) |
"Confirm on data sheet" means Yorkshore has not yet recorded that document for the product, not that it does not exist. Ask your representative for current certificates before submittals.
Five things that trip up submittals
- Certificates are product-specific. A FloorScore certificate covers the products it names, not the whole brand. Match the certificate number to the exact product.
- Adhesives count separately. Adhesives, primers and underlayments have their own emissions requirements and need their own documentation.
- Product-specific beats industry-wide. LEED values a product-specific EPD, such as ABMarathon's, more than an industry-average EPD.
- Documents expire. EPDs carry a validity period (ABMarathon's runs 2025 to 2030) and certificates are renewed; check dates at submittal.
- "Red List Free" is a specific claim. It is a Declare label status, not a general marketing phrase. Ask for the label itself.
Specification checklist
- FloorScore (or equivalent CDPH v1.2 compliance) for every floor and adhesive.
- Product-specific EPD where the project targets the EPD credit.
- Declare label or HPD where the project targets material ingredient disclosure.
- Recycled-content declaration where the project targets raw-material sourcing.
- Certificate numbers and validity dates listed in the submittal.
See sustainable and low-VOC flooring and the technical library, or talk to a specialist about the documentation for your project.
Frequently asked questions
What is FloorScore, and does it count toward LEED?
What is the difference between an EPD, an HPD and a Declare label?
Which commercial floors are Declare Red List Free?
Does a FloorScore-certified floor make the whole installation compliant?
Which commercial floors have a product-specific EPD?
Products to consider
-
ABMarathon Round Rubber Tile
Homogeneous rubber tile with a raised disc surface, 3 mm, in 18 in and 36 in formats and 23 colorways
-
Texas Granite
No-wax solid vinyl tile with a 30-year life expectancy and over 40% less annual upkeep than waxed VCT
-
ABPure
Red List Free rubber tile and sheet with Nfuse, tested to ASTM F1515 for color durability
-
Floortress Luxury Vinyl Plank and Tile
Heavy-duty 3 mm LVT with a 30 mil wear layer, in 7 x 48 in planks and 12 x 24 in tiles, loose lay or glue-down
-
Floorida Luxury Vinyl Plank
Waterproof rigid LVP, 8 x 48 in, 22 mil wear layer, in 2.5 mm glue-down and 5 mm loose-lay constructions
-
Nature's Collection
Cork-and-rubber speckled tile in 4 to 8 mm for lobbies, libraries and classrooms
-
Walk Soft
Softer recycled rubber tile for corridors and standing work, 8 to 12 mm, square edge or interlocking
Related guides
-
What flooring meets acoustic requirements in multifamily buildings (IIC and STC)?
IIC and STC are ratings of the whole floor-ceiling assembly, not the flooring alone. What the building code asks for, how to read acoustic data sheets, and w...
-
What wear layer do I need for commercial LVT?
20 mil where people walk, 30 mil where carts run, and a homogeneous floor where carts run all day. What a mil is, why overall thickness is a different number...
-
What is the most durable flooring for school corridors and classrooms?
Homogeneous solid vinyl tile or homogeneous rubber for hallways; 20–30 mil LVT or rubber for classrooms. How to compare load ratings, wear layers, acoustics,...
-
LVT vs. sheet vinyl vs. VCT for commercial floors: what's the difference?
VCT is the low-first-cost floor that needs wax; LVT adds wood and stone visuals with a factory finish; sheet vinyl gives a seamless, welded floor. Plus the h...