Many green products carry labels signifying that they conform to or exceed certain standards in energy performance, sustainability or health. Certifications are also awarded to building professionals who pass tests in green building design and construction. Here is a list of the prevelant green related certifications. The product certifications are based on third party testing and validation. These organizations usually offer labels for display with the certified products. In addition, there are organizations testing and assessing products. Two notable ones are Building Green and Healthy Building Network . They do not issue labels but provide detail information about products particularly regarding the health impact. Check the information from these sources while shopping for products or services.
| Product Certification |
|---|
| Program | Goals | Applicable Products | More Information |
|---|
| Energy Star | Comply with EPA’s recommendation to reduce energy usage. Energy Star rated products may be eligible for rebate programs | Appliances, lighting | |
| Consortium of Energy Efficency (CEE) | Rates products into tiers that exceed Energy Star recommendation | Appliances, lighting, HVAC, consumer electronics | |
| National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) | Rate and label the energy performance | Windows, doors, skylights, and attachment products | |
| WaterSense | Comply with EPA’s recommendation to reduce water usage | Faucets, showerheads toilets and other water fixtures, irrigation systems, water softeners | |
| Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) | Manage forestry operations sustain tree availability | Cabinets, funiture, flooring,windows, doors, framing, roofing | |
| Rediscovered Wood | Use reclaimed, recycled or salvaged wood | Cabinets, funiture, flooring,windows, doors, framing, roofing | |
| Green Label Plus | Reduce volatile organic compound emission | Carpets, rugs | |
| Green Seal | Reduce volatile organic compound and toxic chemicals | Paints, coatings, cleaning products, and others | |
| Greenguard | Reduce volatile organic compound emission | Interior products | |
| FloorScore | Reduce unhealthy emission indoors | Hard surface floorings and flooring adhesives | |
| SCS calCOMPliant | Reduce unhealthy emission indoors | Hardwood plywoods (veneer or composite core), particleboards, medium density fiberboards | |
| SCS Indoor Air Quality | Reduce unhealthy emission indoors | Furniture and seating | |
| SCS Gold | Reduce unhealthy emission indoors | A variaty of products and systems that meet the California indoor air quality standard | |
| Service and Performance Certification |
|---|
| Program | Goals | Applicable Services | More Information |
|---|
| Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) AP | Ensure building professionals conform to LEED standards in design and construction of high-performance green homes | Construction | |
| Building Professional Institute (BPI) | Ensure building professionals conform to BPI standard in home performance improvements | Construction | |
| Certified Green Building Professional | Ensure building professionals conform to BuilditGreen practice in design, construction and operation of green building, and evaluating, upgrading, remodeling, and retrofitting existing homes (California only) | Construction | |
| Certified Green Point Rating | Rate and certify home performance (after a green remodel) based on a schedule of green points (California only) | Residential houses | |
This forum provides you with resources about home renovation, improvement, makeover and repair topics such as air condition, bathroom design, construction, countertop selection, drainage, driveway paving, drought tolerant landscape, drought tolerant plants, faucet, flooring, furnace, furniture, home design, home insulation, hot water heater, landscape replacement, non-toxic material, paint selection, plumbing, retrofit, roof replacement, saving water, solar hot water, solar system, window replacement, and many others. While we focus on issues in California, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose, Oakland, Alameda, Cupertino, Dublin, Fremont, Lafayette, Mill Valley, Moraga, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Pleasanton, Redwood City, San Ramon, most information is applicable in all parts of USA as well as the rest of the world.
