New programs aim ' ls that building product really green?

TTHREE major organizations |. have launched product verifications services this year. promising that building material buyers and sellers will now have third-party validation that manufacturers' environmental claims are true.

"For ECV, manufacturers can use service logo for marketing materials and packaging," Nelson said. "We will reserve use of a certification mark on products for SPCP."

Serious Materials' EcoRock drywall, which will debut later this summer, became the first product to pass the ECV program.

The next products slated to be tested by ULE include wind turbines, dishwashers and televisions, although Nelson is confident more construction materials will be analyzed due to "UL's rich heritage in building products. We're not limiting ourselves."

ing Seal program.

Underwriters Laboratories division UL Environment Inc., launched its environmental claims verification service in January. The same month, the National Association of Home Builders Association Research Center introduced its Green Approved program. And in the coming months, Good Housekeeping Research Institute rolls out its Green Good Housekeepins Seal nrosram. U.L.

"As sustainable produ.cts il*, ;ili

^ r ^ 4 ^ als content, volatile resistance. become more available, thirdparty validation of claims by credible organizations will be crucial Chris Nelson, director of global comto eliminating exaggerated green mar- mercial development. "We provide keting claims," said ULE president credibility and a high level of transSteve Wenc. parency. You can believe that when a manufacturer says [its product] is

ULE's initial service, Environmental Claims Validation (ECV), "looks at what the manufacturer says about its product and provides thirdparty validation of those claims," said

In time, ULE will launch a second service, a Sustainable Products Certification Program (SPCP), confirming that products adhere to pre-setrather than manufacturer-set- standards.

NAHB's program confirms that approved products are eligible for earning points under the National Green Buildine

Standard. The launch occurred, according to NAHB's Anne Holtz, "at the same time as the ANSI approval of the National Green Building Standard- since Green Approved is a preapproval of points for products that meet criteria set within the standard."

The first products awarded the Green Approved label were structural frame products from ilevel by Weyerhaeuser, Owens Corning's insulation, duct and masonry veneer products, and and DuPont Tyvek weatherization barriers.

Easier Access To Green Directory

Building material manufacturers can now suggest products for listing in the GreenSpec online directory of green products, thanks to a new trial program by the Construction Specifications Institute and BuildingGreen.

For the test period, products and their sustainability properties submitted via GreenFormat are guaranteed to be reviewed.

The GreenSpec-GreenFormat pilot program will run for up to six months and, if successful, will continue as part of ongoing joint efforts by CSI and BuildingGreen to help the industry select and evaluate products.

To submit a product, visit https://webportal. csinet.org/greenformaVtrackbg.asp.

"We have a Green Approved mark and guidelines that we provide to manufacturers of the approved products for use in their marketing materials," Holtz said. "There is no stamp or sticker that goes on the products."

Later this year, Good Housekeeping will announce the first products to receive its Green Good Housekeeping Seal. To be eligible for consideration for the new label, products first must pass the performance evaluation required to earn the original seal of approval. Then, the institute reviews data about the product's composition, manufacturing, packaging and other attributes that may have an impact on the environment. lf you're looking for quality and value from your insurance provider, please contact the PLM Marketing Department at 800.752.1895 or log onto www.plmins.com.

Goods approved to be stamped with either Good Housekeeping seal must carry the existing limited warranty. (If they prove to be defective within two years of purchase, Good Housekeeping will replace the item or refund the consumer.)

Products also must pass periodic reviews by the institute to continue to use the labels.

And to ensure that the green programs themselves are meaningful, Consumer Reports' Greener Choices recently launched an online Eco-Labels Center, providing an environmental report card for competing labeling systems. Their interactive tool rates labels by how meaningful they are, whether or not they are verified, if they are consistent, publicly available, free from conflict, and developed with broad public and industry input.

It seems like every product out there claims to be green. Dealers, builders, contractors and consumers now have tools to test those claims for themselves.

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