Almost everywhere you look lately, more building products are claiming to be green, healthy, or eco-friendly. The marketing language and labels can be quite convincing, but can you trust them? Being able to distinguish between legitimate product claims and “greenwashing”—representing a product as having green attributes when it does not—is becoming increasingly important.
Certification programs offer a way to identify products whose green attributes have been verified through independent analysis and testing. Products that make the grade are awarded a seal of approval, or eco-label. “Green-labeled products ensure you get what you’re paying for,” says Emily Mitchell, U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes program manager. “For the builder, that means confidence in using those products and marketing their attributes.”
But what do these programs actually evaluate? Organizations like Greenguard, Energy Star, the Forest Stewardship Council, Scientific Certification Systems, and the Rainforest Alliance, among others, don’t certify products as being comprehensively green; they certify a single attribute, such as low chemical emissions, percentage of recycled content, energy efficiency, or sustainably managed origins.
Certification programs achieve their credibility through a third-party evaluation process. “Third-party certification is very valuable, because the mission of the organization doing the certification is not influenced by an industry or manufacturer. Its goal, in most cases, is to raise the standards of products,” says Laura Spriggs, communications manager for the Greenguard Environmental Institute.
Certification programs and eco-labels can be very useful tools in the product selection process because they shift the burden and responsibility of evaluating products to the certification entity, giving builders some peace of mind.
There are many shades of green, and eco-labels are just one way to determine a product’s place in your green project and its overall environmental impact. Don Ferrier of Fort Worth, Texas-based Ferrier Custom Homes focuses his product selection process on products his company has experience with, that the clients desire, or that are acknowledged by the NAHB or LEED green building programs. When it comes down to making a product decision, the experts recommend basing it on the green qualities that are most important to the project.
Here’s a brief rundown of some of the most common eco-labels:
Energy Star Qualified
Supporting organization: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy Goals: Identify energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Attribute evaluated: Efficient use of energy. Building products certified: Home appliances, heating and cooling systems, fenestration, roofing, insulation and air sealing, and lighting.
www.energystar.gov
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified
Supporting organization: Forest Stewardship Council Goals: Ensure environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable forestry practices. Attribute evaluated: Sustainability of forest management practices. Building products certified: Engineered lumber, cabinetry, windows and doors, siding, fencing, shingles, dimensional lumber, millwork, panel products, and flooring.
www.fscus.org
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Certified
Supporting organization: Sustainable Forestry Board Goals: Encourage integration of responsible environmental practices with sound business practices to maintain healthy forestlands. Attribute evaluated: Sustainable forestry practices. Building products certified: Panel products, structural lumber.
www.aboutsfi.org
Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified
Supporting organization: Greenguard Environmental Institute Goals: Improve public health and quality of life by improving indoor air quality. Attribute evaluated: Chemical and pollutant emissions. Building products certified: Adhesives and sealants, ceiling systems, paints and coatings, doors, flooring, surfacing materials, flooring finishes, insulation, and general construction materials.
www.greenguard.org
The Green Seal
Supporting organization: Green Seal Goals: Promote the production and use of environmentally preferable products and services. Attribute evaluated: Life-cycle impact and product-specific features. Building products certified: Paints, adhesives, photovoltaic modules, air conditioning systems, air-source heat pump systems, windows, and window films.
www.greenseal.org
Look for the Substance Behind Eco-Labels
More green certification programs and eco-labels come onto the scene each year, and sifting through them all can be confusing. Keep the following in mind as you evaluate product claims and eco-labels.
- Determine which certifications your green building program accepts. Look for programs that certify the attributes that are important to your project and that support your overall green goals, then evaluate those that match up. Katie Miller, communications director for the Forest Stewardship Council, recommends reading the standards, values, and mission of each organization.
- Evaluate the standard-setting body behind the label. Is it an industry association or an independent, non-profit organization whose goal is to encourage higher product standards? Who supports it? Is the standard-setting process consensus-based? Once a product is certified, must it undergo on-going verification of continuing compliance? Asking these questions can help you determine the credibility of the certification program.
- A narrow focus is best. It would make matters easier if there was one certification program evaluating multiple green attributes or providing life cycle assessments of all types of materials, but the experts say that single-attribute certifications are currently the most credible because their narrow focus allows the organizations to maintain high standards and effectiveness.
- Investigate unfamiliar eco-labels and recognize greenwashing. Greenwashing is a real problem and one that architects and builders need to be aware of to protect themselves and their clients. Investigate the properties of labeled products, ask questions, and move on if you’re not satisfied by the answers. The Federal Trade Commission has recently started to address misleading green claims and has issued national guidelines for environmental advertising and labeling claims.
