Material Selection
Materials really do matter to the health of occupants and the environment, but finding out what is in a product—and why—is not easy.
Products also have to perform as intended, so there are often tradeoffs between performance and the most sustainable materials.
Here you will find articles on:
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the least hazardous, most environmentally sustainable materials used in products
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environmental product declarations that can reveal the life-cycle impacts of materials
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standards and third-party certifications that provide important VOC criteria and other health and performance metrics
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chemicals of concern in building materials
You’ll also learn how what makes a product green can differ from product category to product category, and why multi-attribute vetting is critical no matter what product or material you’re selecting or specifying.
Material Selection
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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UL Environment Buys Greenguard
News Analysis
For the second time in five months, UL Environment, a division of Underwriters Laboratories (UL), has acquired a major brand in the green building products certification field.
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USDA Biobased Label Identifies Farm-Grown Content
News Analysis
USDA rolls out a Biobased Product label to identify products with agricultural content. Will the label help consumers, or confuse them?
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Measuring the Environmental Impact of Furniture
News Brief
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Not Enough Votes for LEED Certified Wood Benchmark
News Analysis
The certified wood battleground now moves to the next version of LEED, with a planned release date of late 2012.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Learning Resources
A wide range of education options, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
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