Green Materials Standards and Definitions
Definitions are listed in alphabetical order below; click on the links to jump to the full definition.
Allergens
Antimicrobial Agents
Aromatic Solvents
Biodegradable, Compostable
Bisphenal A (BPA)
Chlorophofluorocarbons (CFC)
"Easily removed or dismantled"
"Easily Recyclable"
Embodied Energy
Formaldehyde
Halogenated Flame Retardants (see PBDEs)
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)
Hazardous Waste
Heavy Metals
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC)
"Improves Interior Light Quality"
Indoor Air Contaminants / Pollutants
"Known Carcinogen"
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
Natural or Minimally Processed
"Ozone safe" and "Ozone friendly"
Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs)
Rapidly Renewable
Recyclable
Recycled Content
"Reduces Noise"
Resists Mold Growth
Source Reduction
Toxic Substance
Universal Design
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Allergens
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines an allergen as a “substance (such as mold) that can cause an allergic reaction”. There are several types of allergens in addition to mold. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – National Institutes of Health lists cigarette smoke, cockroaches, dust mites, pets and animals, and pollen as other common allergens. Allergens can cause a wide variety of allergic reactions ranging from sneezing and runny nose to life threatening symptoms such as anaphylaxis, shock, or even death.
“Standards or Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for airborne concentrations of mold, or mold spores, have not been set. As of December 2000, there are no EPA regulations or standards for airborne mold contaminants”.
Since no EPA or other Federal threshold limits have been set for mold or mold spores, sampling cannot be used to check a building’s compliance with Federal mold standards.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
National Institutes of Health – National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
eMedicineHealth.com
Antimicrobial Agents
Antimicrobial agents are those substances that prohibit the growth of organisms such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses on inanimate objects and their surfaces. Antimicrobial agents are often included in paint, carpet, ceiling tile, and on other, similar products. Antimicrobials are registered and regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) which may be accessed at http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/7/ch6.html. This act guarantees that antimicrobial agents used on products are not harmful to human health or the environment. BuildingGreen.com also states that the “…EPA requires data from manufacturers demonstrating that the product is effective against targeted bacteria, fungi, or viruses”
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Kaiser Permanente
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
BuildingGreen.com, Environmental Building News
Aromatic Solvents
According to biology-online.org, a solvent is “a liquid in which substances (or solutes) are dissolved forming a solution.” Aromatic solvent are those solvents that possess a strong aroma. Aromatic solvents include benzene, toluene, xylenes and ethylbenzene etc…. Shell Chemicals describes aromatic solvents as being “…widely used in paints, adhesives and printing inks. Other applications include extraction, degreasing, as components in insecticides, and as chemical intermediates (e.g. toluene diisocyanate)”. Aromatic solvents can cause many side effects when inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Among the side effects are dizziness, headache, nausea, miscarriages, brain damage, and cancer. Some of the common sources of aromatic solvents in building materials are as paint strippers and thinners, degreasers, and adhesives etc…
Aromatic solvents are regulated under the same regulations as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (See Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), and Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs))
Sources:
Biology-online.org
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Shell Chemicals
Safer Solutions: Keeping your home healthy and green
United States National Library of Medicine
United States Department of Health & Human Services
Biodegradable, Compostable
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states that a biodegradable item “should be substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence that the entire product or package will completely break down and return to nature, i.e., decompose into elements found in nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal.” In addition, “claims of degradability, biodegradability or photodegradability should be qualified to the extent necessary to avoid consumer deception about: (a) the product or package's ability to degrade in the environment where it is customarily disposed; and (b) the rate and extent of degradation.” According to the FTC an item is considered compostable when “…all the materials in the product or package will break down into, or otherwise become part of, usable compost (e.g., soil-conditioning material, mulch) in a safe and timely manner in an appropriate composting program or facility, or in a home compost pile or device.
Sources:
Federal Trade Commission
Bisphenol A (BPA)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Bisphenol A (BPA) “…is an industrial chemical used to make one type of polycarbonate plastic and certain types of epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastic is used in many products such as refillable beverage containers, compact disks, some plastic eating utensils, and impact-resistant
safety and sports equipment. Epoxy resins containing BPA are used in dental composites and sealants, as coatings inside some food and beverage cans, and as corrosion-resistant metal coatings”. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) conducted a study on BPA in September of 2008 that raised concern about BPA because of the prevalence of the chemical found in the population especially, infants and children. Currently, there is controversy as to whether BPA is harmful to humans. The National Geographic Green Guide states that “the plastics industry says it [BPA] is harmless, but a growing number of scientists are concluding, from some animal tests, that exposure to BPA in the womb raises the risk of certain cancers, hampers fertility and could contribute to childhood behavioral problems such as hyperactivity”.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does have safety thresholds for BPA (http://www.epa.gov/NCEA/iris/subst/0356.htm) however, the BPA levels that the general population encounters through the use of plastic water bottles and such is well below these standards.
At this time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that “based on our ongoing review, we believe there is a large body of evidence that indicates that FDA-regulated products containing BPA currently on the market are safe and that exposure levels to BPA from food contact materials, including for infants and children, are below those that may cause health effects. However, we will continue to consider new research and information as they become available”.
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – National Toxicology Program - Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction
National Geographic, Green Guide
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) cites The Chapman & Hall Encyclopedia of Environmental Science with the definition of CFCs. This definition states that CFCs “…are nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals containing atoms of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. They are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays, blowing agents for foams and packing materials, as solvents, and as refrigerants. CFCs are classified as halocarbons, a class of compounds that contain atoms of carbon and halogen atoms”. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates CFCs as Class I Substances. In addition, the encyclopedia explains how the Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987 in reaction to the degradation of the ozone layer by CFCs, “…had a provision to reduce 1986 production levels of these compounds by 50% before the year 2000”. “An amendment approved in London in 1990 was more forceful and called for the elimination of production by the year 2000”. In 1995 the U.S. stopped the production and importation of CFCs and several other ozone-depleting substances.
Currently, CFCs are regulated by the EPA under sections 601-607 of the Clean Air Act. Details may be obtained at: http://www.epa.gov/oar/caa/title6.html. Prerequisite three of the Energy and Atmosphere rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is titled Fundamental Refrigerant Management and addresses CFCs. Prerequisite three requires that either no CFCs are used in a project or that there is a phase-out plan in place for existing CFC equipment.
Sources:
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
- LEED for New Construction & Major Renovation: Version 2.2, Reference Guide, Third Edition Oct. 2007
“Easily removed or dismantled”
Something that is said to be “easily removed or dismantled” is environmentally friendly in that the product can be removed or disassembled using non-destructive means, typically because it is assembled with mechanical fasteners. For example, a modular office partition wall can be unbolted and moved to reconfigure the office space instead of having to demolish and rebuild it, as in a frame & drywall partition wall assembly.
Embodied Energy
BuildingGreen.com explains embodied energy as a term that describes the total energy that is required to manufacture a product or material. According to BuildingGreen.com
“energy intensity figures for materials, or embodied energy values for components, can provide useful information for comparing different building products, or choosing from among several different materials”. Unfortunately, the quantifying of a products embodied energy is not “…an exact science” states BuildingGreen.com. This is because not every manufacturing process is alike and, researchers have to make many assumptions in their calculations.
Currently, there are no measurement standards for embodied energy. However, there are some general guidelines that apply to evaluating a products embodied energy that are explained in the Home Energy Magazine online edition, which is available at http://www.homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/95/950109.html. This article also mentions a computer program called “Optimize” that was developed by The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and SAR Engineering to help estimate the embodied energy of a house.
Sources:
BuildingGreen.com, Environmental Building News
Home Energy Magazine Online
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is “an important industrial chemical used to make other chemicals, building materials, and household products. It is one of the large families of chemical compounds called volatile organic compounds or ‘VOCs’. The term volatile means that the compounds vaporize, that is, become a gas, at normal room temperatures”. Levels “…at or above 0.1 ppm” in the air can cause symptoms such as “…watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes, nose and throat, nausea, coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, skin rashes, and allergic reactions”.
Standards for low formaldehyde emission levels for particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF), and hardwood plywood have been set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Particleboard standards are under ANSI A208.1-1993. Standards for MDF are under ANSI A208.2-1994 and hardwood plywood are under ANSI/HPVA HP-1-1994. In addition, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) “the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends an exposure limit of 0.016 ppm”.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
U.S. Department of Labor - Occupational Safety & Health Administration
National Safety Council
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines HAPS “also known as toxic air pollutants or air toxics”, as “…those pollutants that cause or may cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental and ecological effects. The EPA is required to control 188 hazardous air pollutants. Examples of toxic air pollutants include benzene, found in gasoline; perchlorethlyene, which is emitted from some dry cleaning facilities; and methylene chloride, which is used as a solvent and paint stripper by a number of industries”. The list of the 188 HAPS controlled by the EPA can be found here: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/orig189.html
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Web Site – Pollutants & Sources
- Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Web Site – The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 List of Hazardous Air Pollutants
Hazardous Waste
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a hazardous waste as a “…waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or sludges. They can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes”.
Hazardous wastes are regulated by the EPA under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) which may be accessed at http://www.epa.gov/regulations/laws/rcra.html
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Heavy Metals
The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) defines toxic or heavy metals as “…individual metals and metal compounds that negatively affect people's health. In very small amounts, many of these metals are necessary to support life. However, in larger amounts, they become toxic. They may build up in biological systems and become a significant health hazard”. Some of the toxic and heavy metals that OSHA lists are arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, and mercury. OSHA standards for these metals may be accessed at the following:
Arsenic – http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/arsenic/standards.html
Beryllium – http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/beryllium/standards.html
Cadmium – http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/cadmium/standards.html
Lead – http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/lead/standards.html
Mercury – http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/mercury/standards.html
Hexavalent Chromium – http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hexavalentchromium/standards.html
Additional standards for heavy metals from the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) can be accessed at:
Arsenic – ASTM D2348 - 02 Standard Test Method for Arsenic in Paint
Beryllium – STP 1473 Beryllium: Sampling and Analysis
Mercury – Master List of all Standards – Mercury Identification
Sources:
U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety & Health Administration
American Society for Testing Materials
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describes HCFCs as “…compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, chlorine and fluorine. Industry and the scientific community view certain chemicals within this class of compounds as acceptable temporary alternatives to chlorofluorocarbons. The HCFCs have shorter atmospheric lifetimes than CFCs and deliver less reactive chlorine to the stratosphere where the ‘ozone layer’ is found. Consequently, it is expected that these chemicals will contribute much less to stratospheric ozone depletion than CFCs. Because they still contain chlorine and have the potential to destroy stratospheric ozone, they are viewed only as temporary replacements for the CFCs”. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates HCFCs as Class II Substances.
The Montreal Protocol calls for the elimination of HCFC production and importation by the year 2030. Currently, HCFCs are regulated by the EPA under sections 601-607 of the Clean Air Act. Details may be obtained at: http://www.epa.gov/oar/caa/title6.html. Credit four of the Energy and Atmosphere rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is titled Ozone Protection and addresses HCFCs. This credit is linked closely with Prerequisite Three in the Energy and Atmosphere rating of LEED. Prerequisite Three involves replacing CFCs with less damaging HCFCs however, as explained above; HCFCs are not the best solution to ozone depletion. Credit Four calls for replacing HCFCs with hydroflourocarbons (HFCs) “which are refrigerants that do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer”. The EPA maintains a list of ozone friendly refrigerants through its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) website which may be accessed at http://www.epa.gov/ozone/snap/.
Sources:
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
- LEED for New Construction: Version 2.2, Reference Guide
“Improves Interior Light Quality”
The United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Reference Package states that “daylighting improves the indoor environment of buildings by exposing occupants to natural light”. It goes on to explain that there have been studies that show that worker productivity increases and illness and absenteeism decreases in those buildings with daylit areas. It is also estimated that energy use is decreased 50% to 80% because of the decreased need for electrical lighting.
There are several ways of improving the indoor light quality of a building such as, orienting the building so that it can receive the maximum benefit of daylighting, developing open floor plans to distribute the daylight to interiors, and incorporating light shelves, skylights, roof monitors, clerestory windows and tubular daylighting devices (‘skytubes”).
In order to receive credit under LEED for daylighting one of the main requirements is to “achieve a minimum Daylight Factor [the ratio of exterior illumination to interior illumination expressed as a percentage] of 2% (excluding all direct sunlight penetration) in 75% of all space occupied for critical visual tasks…”
Sources:
United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
- LEED Reference Package, June 2001
International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD)
Indoor Air Contaminants / Pollutants
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the average person spends approximately 90% of his or her time indoors. This potentially makes the health risks of indoor air pollution greater than outdoor air pollution for many people. There are several sources of indoor air pollution which the EPA lists as including radon, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS),Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), stoves, heaters, fireplaces, and chimneys, household products, formaldehyde, pesticides, asbestos, and lead. Some of the health effects that are associated with indoor air contaminants are asthma, eye nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, lung cancer, etc…
The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) provides ASTM Standard D7297-06 for “…the investigation of indoor air quality problems in residential buildings”. This standard is available at http://www.astm.org/Standards/D7297.htm.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM)
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
United States National Library of Medicine
United States Department of Health & Human Services
“Known Carcinogen”
According to the American Cancer Society, “…substances and exposures that can lead to cancer are called carcinogens”. Some of the many known carcinogens include arsenic, asbestos, formaldehyde, lead, radon, and vinyl chloride. Several agencies report on the known human carcinogens. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is a part of the World Health Organization (WHO) has “…the most widely used system for classifying carcinogens” according to the American Cancer Society. The U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP), publishes its Report on Carcinogens (RoC) biannually. The most current report is the 11th Report on Carcinogens. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “…maintains the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), an electronic database that contains information on human health effects from exposure to various substances in the environment”. Both the IARC and the IRIS are based on rating systems that assess substances “…cancer-causing potential”. These reports may be accessed from the following source links.
Sources:
American Cancer Society
International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC)
U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
United States National Library of Medicine
United States Department of Health & Human Services
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
Msdswriter.com defines an MSDS as being “…used by chemical manufacturers and importers to convey both the physical hazards (pH, flashpoint, flammability, etc.) and the health hazards (carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, etc.) of their chemicals to the end user. MSDSs are a critical component of the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)). This standard mandates that workers have a right to know what hazards are associated with the chemicals they use in the workplace. Both manufacturers of chemicals and employers with chemicals in their workplace must be in compliance with this regulation as it is the most often cited violation by OSHA, with fines of more than $70,000 per violation per instance”.
There is required information, formulated by OSHA that must be present on every MSDS. The particular requirements may be accessed with the following link http://www.msdswriter.com/learn_standards.cfm. Another useful website is Safety Information Resources on the Internet at http://siri.uvm.edu/index.html. This website provides a database for MSDS’s and other useful safety information.
Sources:
Material Safety Data Sheet
Safety Information on the Internet
Natural or Minimally Processed
BuildingGreen.com defines natural or minimally processed products as being “…green because of low energy use and low risk of chemical releases during manufacturing. These can include wood products, agricultural or nonagricultural plant products, and mineral products such as natural stone and slate shingles”. BuildingGreen.com rates products on whether they are naturally or minimally processed.
Sources:
BuildingGreen.com
“Ozone safe” and “Ozone friendly”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states in its FTC Part 260 – Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims that “it is deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product is safe for or "friendly" to the ozone layer. A claim that a product does not harm the ozone layer is deceptive if the product contains an ozone-depleting substance”.
In addition, FTC Part 260 states that a product that is labeled as “ozone safe” or “ozone friendly” must not include any “Class I or Class II chemicals in Title VI of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-549, or others subsequently designated by EPA as ozone-depleting substances”. A listing of current Class I and Class II chemicals is provided at: http://www.epa.gov/Ozone/science/ods/index.html
Sources:
Federal Trade Commission
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Halogenated Flame Retardants / Polybrominated diphenylethers (PDBEs)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines PBDEs as “…members of a broader class of brominated chemicals used as flame retardants; these are called brominated flame retardants, or BFRs. There are dozens of congeners, or varieties of the basic chemical type, of PBDEs. The benefit of these chemicals is their ability to slow ignition and rate of fire growth, and as a result increase available escape time in the event of a fire”. However, the concern with PBDEs is that they bioaccumulate in living tissues and, they appear to be associated with “…liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity, and neurodevelopmental toxicity”. Several PBDEs are Pentabromodiphenyl Ether (pentaBDE), Octabromodiphenyl Ether (octaBDE), and Decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE ). Since the January 1, 2005 under the EPA’s Certain Polybrominated Diphenylethers; Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) it is required that any manufacturer or importer notify and submit a Significant New Use Notice (SNUN) to the EPA 90 days beforehand of their intent to produce or import any PBDEs so that the EPA can conduct an evaluation.
The EPA’s SNUR was created in response to the phase out of pentaBDE and octaBDE by the sole U.S. manufacturer Great Lakes Chemical Corporation (now Chemtura Corporation). As a result “production in the United States of these two chemicals ceased at the end of 2004”.
In addition, “in 2002, the European Parliament adopted a ban on marketing and use of pentaBDE and octaBDE throughout the European Union (EU). The ban went into effect in August 2004”. Also, “…decaBDE is not subject to the restrictions that have been adopted for pentaBDE and octaBDE”.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Rapidly Renewable
According to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) “rapidly renewable resources are those materials that substantially replenish themselves faster than traditional extraction demand (i.e., planted and harvested in less than a 10 year cycle) and do not result in significant biodiversity loss, increase erosion, air quality impacts, and that are sustainably managed.” Examples of such materials include bamboo flooring, wheatgrass cabinetry, sunflower seed board, poplar OSB, wool carpet, linoleum flooring, cotton batt insulation, etc…
Sources:
USGBC LEED Reference Package, Version 2.0, June 2001, Page 204
Recyclable
In its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines a product as being recyclable if “…it can be collected, separated or otherwise recovered from the solid waste stream for use in the form of raw materials in the manufacture or assembly of a new package or product.” A recyclable plastic item can often be identified through the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) code. The SPI code consists of the numbers 1 – 7 inside the recycling arrows triangle. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) explains that “categories 1-7 are: 1) polyethylene terephthalate (PETE); 2) high density polyethylene (HDPE); polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl); 4) low density polyethylene (LDPE); 5) polypropylene (PP); 6) polystyrene (PS); and 7) other, including materials made with more than one resin from categories 1-6” In addition, the ASTM and the SPI are currently working together to formulate a new standard. More information on this standard can be found at: http://www.astm.org/DATABASE.CART/WORKITEMS/WK20632.htm
Sources:
Federal Trade Commission
American Society for Testing Materials
“Easily Recyclable”
Something is considered easily recyclable if its parts and packaging are clearly labeled with whether they are recyclable or not. Also, there should be a market for the recyclable materials. An example of an easily recyclable product would be one for which the manufacturer has a take-back program at the end of its useful life.
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Recycled Content
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims, 16 CFR 260.7(e) “a recycled content claim may be made only for materials that have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing process (pre-consumer), or after consumer use (post-consumer). To the extent the source of recycled content includes pre-consumer material, the manufacturer or advertiser must have substantiation for concluding that the pre-consumer material would otherwise have entered the solid waste stream. In asserting a recycled content claim, distinctions may be made between pre-consumer and post-consumer materials. Where such distinctions are asserted, any express or implied claim about the specific pre-consumer or post-consumer content of a product or package must be substantiated”. The complete guidelines are available at:
www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrule/guides980427.htm
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) reference standards target for recycled content is 10-20%. For exemplary performance credits it is 30%. ISO 14021- Environmental Labels and Declarations- Self-declared environmental claims (Type II) is the document for LEED recycled content reference standards.
Sources:
Federal Trade Commission
USGBC LEED ISO 14021- Environmental Labels and Declarations- Self-declared environmental claims (Type II)
“Reduces Noise”
According to the publication BuildingGreen.com noise “…can significantly affect human health and well-being”. Some of the adverse effects of noise on humans “…include damage to hearing, impaired growth and development of babies and children, overall stress and sleep disturbance, and reduced productivity/safety in the workplace”. Unfortunately, “…in recent decades, the impacts of noise in the workplace have increased”. Therefore, products or materials that reduce noise are very important to the indoor environmental quality of a building.
There are several standards for rating a product or assemblies’ noise controlling capabilities, however there are no enforcement measures in place. Two of these standards are the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) and the Sound Transmission Class (STC). The NRC “…is a single-number index determined in a lab test and used for rating how absorptive a particular material is. This industry standard ranges from zero (perfectly reflective) to 1* (perfectly absorptive). It is simply the average of the mid-frequency sound absorption coefficients (250, 500, 1000 and 2000 Hertz) rounded to the nearest 5% *(Based on the testing methodology, and depending upon the material's shape or surface area, some products can test at an NRC above 1)”. NRC ratings of common building materials may be accessed at http://www.nrcratings.com/nrc.html. The STC “…is a single-number rating of a material’s or an assembly’s ability to resist airborne sound transfer at the frequencies 125-4000Hz. In general, a higher STC rating blocks more noise from transmitting through a partition. STC is highly dependant on the construction of the partition”. STC ratings for various types of wall assemblies may be accessed at http://www.stcratings.com/assemblies.html. STC ratings for masonry walls may be accessed at http://www.stcratings.com/masonry.html. The Acoustical Society of America also highlights additional standards and they may be accessed with the following link http://www.acosoc.org/standards/ .
Sources:
BuildingGreen.com
NRCratings.com
STCratings.com
- http://www.stcratings.com/
- http://www.stcratings.com/assemblies.html
- http://www.stcratings.com/masonry.html
National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC)
Acoustical Society of America
http://www.acosoc.org/standards/
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“Resists Mold Growth”
Toolbase.org explains “mold-resistant does not mean that mold cannot grow. Under the right conditions, mold can grow on almost any surface”. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) provides different standards for mold resistant products. These products increase the ability of “…materials to withstand mold growth when they are unintentionally exposed to rain between manufacture and installation”. The following are several ASTM reference standards numbers relating to mold resistance.
ASTM WK8681 - New Standard Test Method for Resistance to Mold Growth on Interior Coated Building Products in an Environmental Chamber
ASTM D3273 - 00(2005) Standard Test Method for Resistance to Growth of Mold on the Surface of Interior Coatings in an Environmental Chamber.
ASTM E2418 - 06 Standard Guide for Readily Observable Mold and Conditions Conducive to Mold in Commercial Buildings: Baseline Survey Process.
D4576-01(2006)e1 Standard Test Method for Mold Growth Resistance of Wet Blue. ASTM D5590-00(2005) Standard Test Method for Determining the Resistance of Paint Films and Related Coatings to Fungal Defacement by Accelerated Four-Week Agar Plate Assay.
ASTM D3930-08 Standard Specification for Adhesives for Wood-Based Materials for Construction of Manufactured Homes.
D3498-03 Standard Specification for Adhesives for Field-Gluing Plywood to Lumber Framing for Floor Systems.
C647-08 Standard Guide to Properties and Tests of Mastics and Coating Finishes for Thermal Insulation.
D5324-03 Standard Guide for Testing Water-Borne Architectural Coatings.
D5146-03 Standard Guide to Testing Solvent-Borne Architectural Coatings.
D123-07 Standard Terminology Relating to Textiles.
D3730-03 Standard Guide for Testing High-Performance Interior Architectural Wall Coatings.
Sources:
Toolbase.org
Forest Products Journal Vol. 55, No. 12
American Society for Testing Materials
Source Reduction
Under the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, § 13102. Definitions, Part A source reduction or waste prevention is defined as “…any practice which reduces the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal; and reduces the hazards to public health and the environment associated with the release of such substances, pollutants, or contaminants”.
An alternate definition is from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA defines source reduction as “…the practice of designing, manufacturing, purchasing, or using materials (such as products and packaging) in ways that reduce the amount or toxicity of trash created. Reusing items is another way to stop waste at the source because it delays or avoids that item's entry in the waste collection and disposal system”.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides standards for manufactures claims of source reduction practices in the FTC Part 260 – Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims. The FTC standard reads “it is deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product or package has been reduced or is lower in weight, volume or toxicity. Source reduction claims should be qualified to the extent necessary to avoid consumer deception about the amount of the source reduction and about the basis for any comparison asserted”.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 – United States Code Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare Chapter 133 – Pollution Prevention
- Reduce & Reuse
Federal Trade Commission
Toxic Substance
The U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA) defines a toxic substance as “…chemicals or compounds that may present an unreasonable threat to human health and the environment”. Contact with a toxic substance may pose significant health risks such as “…damage to the nervous system, reproductive and developmental problems, cancer, and genetic disorders”. Under the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) the EPA is responsible for “…tracking the 75,000 industrial chemicals currently produced or imported into the United States”. A summary and the full text of the TSCA can be found at http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/tsca.html. The New Chemicals Program was also created to allow the EPA “…to help manage the potential risk from chemicals new to the marketplace” and, more information may be accessed at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/newchems/. In addition, the United States National Library of Medicine manages the Toxnet Toxicology Data Network website which “…is a cluster of databases covering toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health and related areas” it may be accessed at http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/. Another good reference source is the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Household Products Database website which provides “health & safety information on household products”. The Household Products Database may be accessed by clicking on the following hyperlink http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/polltoxicsubstances.html
- Summary of the Toxic Substances Control Act
- New Chemicals Program
United States National Library of Medicine
United States Department of Health & Human Services
Universal Design
The Institute for Human Centered Design defines universal design as being “…a framework for the design of places, things, information, communication and policy to be usable by the widest range of people operating in the widest range of situations without special or separate design”. Universal design is also known as “Inclusive Design, Design-for-All and Lifespan Design”. Universal Design is not just design for the physically disabled it also encompasses design that is easily accessible to the elderly and children. An example would be designing a home that a couple plans to retire in so that there is only one floor with no stairs so that when the couple is elderly they will be able to easily navigate through out their home. There is no specific standard for universally designing spaces like the previous example however, to ensure that people with physical disabilities can access spaces there are standards. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) ensures that “discrimination in employment, access to places of public accommodation, services, programs, public transportation, and telecommunications is prohibited…” The standards that are mandated by the ADA may be accessed with the following link http://www.ada.gov/stdspdf.htm.
Sources:
Institute for Human Centered Design
- http://www.humancentereddesign.org/index.php?option=Home
- http://www.humancentereddesign.org/index.php?option=Content&Itemid=3
Universal Design Alliance
The Center for Universal Design
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials, etc…”
“No standards have been set for VOCs in non-industrial settings. OSHA regulates formaldehyde, a specific VOC, as a carcinogen. OSHA has adopted a Permissible
Exposure Level (PEL) of .75 ppm, and an action level of 0.5 ppm. HUD has established a level of .4 ppm for mobile homes. Based upon current information, it is advisable to mitigate formaldehyde that is present at levels higher than 0.1 ppm”
Toolbase.org explains that “there are no building code limitations on use of low-VOC paints. Low-VOC paints are tested for toxicity, coverage, fire resistance, and durability in the same manner as conventional paints. Regulating bodies include Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings became effective in 1999. The regulations limit VOC content of flat paint to 250 g/l and non-flat to 380 g/l. The Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) regulates VOC standards in many Northeast states, and more states will be adopting regulations in 2006 and 2007. OTC regulations require VOC content of flat paint to be 100 g/l or less; non-flat paint 150 g/l or less”.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
