Find a Contractor Buyer's Guide
MCAA Logo
Member Login JOIN
NEWS
Join Us For The 75th Anniversary Midyear Meeting Sep 7-11 ↗

Q&A: ANSI/NSC-373

Words: Dennis f BuechelThe Natural Stone Council’s executive director, Duke Pointer, discussed the sustainable production of the natural dimension stone standard.

Q: What does the ANSI/NSC-373 standard cover?
A: The basis for the standard was created from the industry’s Best Practices documents, as well as previous sustainable product assessment standards based on life-cycle thinking developed by NSF International, which helped create the document. The standard is applicable to quarries and processors of natural dimension stone and is divided into several areas, including energy, water, transportation, site management, land reclamation and adaptive use, management of excess process materials and waste, corporate governance, safer chemical and materials management and human health and safety. The standard also allows for innovation, which supports continuous improvement of quarries and processors who are in pursuit of sustainability certification.

Q: How is certification achieved?
A: There are 18 different requirements under the ANSI/NSC-373 standard and they have a total of 41 points, encompassing a total of four levels of certification — bronze, silver, gold or platinum. When achieving any of the certification levels, a company can use that certification to differentiate itself from its competition. The more points a company earns on an ongoing basis, on the way to the maximum of 41, the higher the level designation. For instance, managing water recycling and energy usage better will earn more points.

Certification is on a facility site-specific basis. That means each operating quarry or fabrication plant must have its own certification. There is an annual review for compliance, but the certification itself lasts three years, and then the facility must be recertified in the fourth year. Because ANSI/NSC-373 was developed as an ANSI Standard, so it can be applied internationally with a third-party certifier like NSF International, which works around the world.

Q: What is the ANSI/NSC-373 certification process?
A: It’s a two-step process for quarries and fabricators. First, there is an offsite documentation review of information supporting the prerequisites and selected optional credits in the standards. Second, an onsite audit of the quarry, processing or fabrication facilities. Certification is granted once these steps are completed and the location meets the requirements of the standard.

Q: What are the approximate costs to complete certification?
A: NSF says the costs will be determined by a number of factors, including scope of operations. That would include the number of quarries or fabrications facilities that are to be certified and the level of certification that the company is pursuing. NSF can provide a quote based on this information and help determine how to proceed.

Q: Will certification provide a competitive edge in the marketplace?
A: Across the building products spectrum, many architectural and design firms, owners and contractors, understand the importance of sustainability standards and specify products that are certified. In the broader sense, certification will definitely provide a competitive edge when competing for green building projects.
 0
Using Respirators for Silica Exposure
July 2025

Some in the masonry industry have expressed interest in respirator use as protection from harmful exposure to silica. This topic is of paramount importance due to its impact on our workers and the serious health effects of silica exposure. For those new t

Zach Everett
Read More
From Bikes to Buildings: The Importance of Embracing Rainscreen Wall Designs and the New Building Codes.
July 2025

Have you ever been asked to do a project over the course of your lifetime? For example, when my kids were little, my wife asked me to assemble their bicycles. So, I opened the box, dumped out the contents, and cast aside whatever I thought was unnecessary

Keith Lolley
MAP Partner
Read More
Laying the Foundation for Growth: Concrete Masonry Checkoff Unveils Five-Year Vision for Industry
July 2025

The Concrete Masonry Checkoff (CMC) put the finishing touches on an ambitious five-year vision for the industry, targeting a 20% increase in market share, driven by increased demand for concrete masonry products. “This is about building exquisite, enduri

Industry News
Read More
Five of the Seven Chimneys Have Been Saved: Project Chimney Update
July 2025

In the wake of the devastating January wildfires that swept through Los Angeles's Pacific Palisades, a remarkable preservation effort is underway, spearheaded by Project Chimney, an initiative led by Evan Hall, founding director of the non-profit House Mu

Justin Stengel
Industry News
Read More