Ecolabels - Allison Friedman, Rate It Green

© 2010 Rate It Green, LLC.

An Introduction to Labeling and Certifications

Allison FriedmanRate It [email protected](617) 686-8977

Green Building Product and Service Directory Peer-Review Resource Community Portal

Allison FriedmanFounder, Rate It Green


Rate It Green (www.rateitgreen.com)

Rate It Green further fuels green building industry growth by providing a vibrant, user-driven green building community and information resource.

Green Building Product & Service DirectoryPeer-Review ResourceCommunity Portal

Core Elements:

Top Goals:

Build the largest green building product/service directoryCreate and lead the green building peer-review segmentLasting Impact on the green building market


Peer-Review:

• Helping people sift through what’s green, what works, who to trust (like labels!)

• Critical market feedback

• Building Community

Peer-Review: National Fiber as an Example


Green Building 101 – Resource Guide

A directory of over 900 green building industry information resources. The guide lists trade associations, resources, and tools as well as green building media, forums, resource centers, directories, guides, and more.

Topics: Associations and Organizations Green Building Resource Centers Guides and Guidelines Federal and Other Resources Retailers Design Tools Educational & Training Resources Media Events


Green Building – Reducing Impact, Increasing Health

Fewer Resources- Materials and Resources- Energy Efficiency- Water Efficiency

More-Natural or ”All Natural”*

Lower Toxicity- Indoor Air Quality

- General Safety

Keep in mind:- All building has some impact.

- Defining all green building terms and values is NOT easy. - Measuring greenness and quality is also NOT easy.

Green Building means designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining buildings with concern for the environment, for the inhabitants of a building, and for the surrounding community.


Types of Information

Labels and Certifications Laws and Regulations Articles/Media Directories Peer-Review/Testimonials

– Experts– End Users

Associations and Organizations Trade Events Advertisements and Marketing Information


The Problem: Too Much Information = Too Little Information

We’re not all scientists, and we can not evaluate each claim.Meanwhile, there is great market pressure on companies to make claims.


Who to Believe, and Why?


Definitions

Labels– Verification of a single claim/attribute– Seal/reward for meeting multiple claims/attributes– Promise/declaration of information provided on the label

Certification– Confirmation that information is true– Verification that a specific standard has been met– Often used for multiple attributes

Standards– Requirement that a certain certification be met– Issued by:

– Government Agencies– Industry Associations– Independent Organizations


Types of Labels and Certifications

Certifier Relationship– First-Party: Claim made by the manufacturer or service provider– Second-Party: Claim made by an interested or partner entity– Third-Party: Independent verification, no vested interest

Type of Label/Representation– Single Attribute– Multiple Attribute– Detailed information on the label itself


Types of Processes

Voluntary Consensus– Formal, open process– Transparent

Proprietary– Companies or organizations working together– Not generally transparent

Regulatory Specifications– Promulgated by a government agency

De Facto– Common Industry Practice– “Everyone knows”

Note: Level of Public and Outside Expert Involvement Varies


Selected Top Product Certifications Third-Party, Consensus-Based, Transparent

GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) EcoLogo Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Green Seal National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) WaterSense (EPA) SMaRT Consensus Sustainable Product Standards


GREENGUARD Environmental Institute

Nonprofit, Founded in 2001

ANSI Accredited Standards Developer

Mission: To protect human health and quality of life through programs that reduce chemical exposure and improve indoor air quality.

Certifications

– Building materials– Interior furnishings– Cleaners– Electronics– Children’s products – Mold, moisture and indoor pollutants