 |
 |
|||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Copyright © 2007 GreenOfaKind
Environmental Standards 101
You are faced with a task of environmental concerns of a building or product – where do you start? You may have heard of LEED and EnergyStar but know that there is more to it than that. To get started and before you search for hours through endless web-resources, figure out what your ultimate goal is. Supply an existing building with environmental quality or are on the verge of hiring an architect to design one for you.
Two umbrellas to keep in mind: One is a larger industry-wide umbrella for building appropriately, and a smaller (but as important) umbrella under it certifying individual items making the larger umbrella useful.
The large umbrella caries monikers such as NAHB, LEED, Greenglobes, SFI, FSC, and Cradle to Cradle.
The smaller umbrella has names such as EnergyStar, Greenguard, Green Seal, SmartWood, Green Label, and EPP (Environmentally Preferred Products).
Although it may appear as if the players in the umbrellas are merely competing against one another, they are really just making sure that you are not taken advantage of from something called “greenwashing” – which is a fancy word for making something appear sustainable yet it is not.
Like with any purchase, the hard part is to find the right one in how you will use it. Based on your expertise, budget, building requirement, sustainability requirement, publicity requirements, and a mess of other possibilities.
Definition: Eco labels (or green certifications) verify that a particular product meets certain environmental standards. The key word is “certain” – meaning that one needs to look beyond the testing to see if it meets the overall sustainability effectiveness. As an example, a particular paint may emit low VOCs but only lasts a fraction of the time a comparable product does – requiring multiple applications at extra costs and resources. However, it is put in place as a simple means for the consumer to know that extra steps have been taken to ensure some level of environmental consciousness.
Some differences in each:
- single attribute certifications: referring to only one select criterion such as energy efficiency, emissions, etc.
- multiple attribute certifications: looks at multiple characteristics at once.
- life cycle certifications: refers to a more global attribute in the products materials, how it’s manufactured, how it performs, and how it degrades once not needed.
These certify a particular product, but a very expensive and time-consuming ISO (International Standardization Organization) 14001 certification indicates that the company focused on environmental responsibility as a whole in its manufacturing and operating procedures even though it may not make any environmentally friendly products – hence the need to “shop around.”
So, what would one look for in an eco-label? Transparency, Expertise, and “Best of Show.” Transparency in the criteria of how it was determined (should be easy to find on their web-site); Expertise in the knowledge-base that was applied and third-party objectiveness; “Best of Show” or the standard’s tough stance making it hard to compete with.
see also:
Green Products Certification Reference Guide