New Group Certifies Green Building Materials Retailers

The Certified Green Dealer (CGD) program, launched in January 2008, educates and certifies retailers selling green building materials. To become certified, a retailer must have three-quarters of its salespeople watch eight online videos and pass a test on basic green building topics such as mold, insulation, and air-sealing.

According to John Wagner, who develops educational content for the program, more than 4,000 individual users have signed up for certification through 280 retailers that pay a fee to participate. Certified lumberyards are allowed to advertise the certification, and some, Wagner says, offer CGD materials to their contractor customers.

Affiliated with industry magazine LBM Journal, CGD is sponsored by manufacturers, whose logos appear on the program’s materials and whose product information is provided to dealers. According to Wagner, some companies have been rejected as sponsors and others asked to create a “subbrand” to distinguish their green products from their less environmentally friendly products. More information is available at www.certifiedgreendealer.com.