GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® products are recognized as credit criteria for several different
points in the USGBC’s LEED® Rating Systems. Low-emitting products that qualify for GREENGUARD
Certification or GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM program can be used in a number of ways to qualify
for LEED points. These products are listed in the GREENGUARD Product Guide at www.greenguard.org.
The following indicates how GREENGUARD Certified products can be used to achieve LEED points.
GREENGUARD Enviromental Institute
The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is an industry-independent, non-profit organization that
oversees the GREENGUARD Certification Program, the only industry independent certification program for
low-emitting products. The program establishes standards for test methods, allowable emissions levels,
product sample collection and handling, testing type and frequency, and program application processes
and acceptance.
As an ANSI Authorized Standards Developer, GEI establishes acceptable indoor air standards for indoor
products, environments, and buildings. The GREENGUARD certification mark helps architects, builders,
designers and specifiers identify products and materials that undergo rigorous testing and meet stringent
standards for chemical emissions. Currently, more than 125 manufacturers participate in the program,
offering over 150,000 products in our online product guide at www.greenguard.org.
GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified®
Product certification program for low-emitting interior building materials,
furnishings, and finish systems. The GREENGUARD Certification Program uses
performance-based, field-validated standards to define products and materials with
low chemical and particle emissions for use indoors. GREENGUARD requires
products to be tested on an annual basis for over 2,000 individual volatile organic
compounds (VOCs).
GREENGUARD Children & Schools
Product certification program for low-emitting building materials, furnishings, and
finish systems used in sensitive environments, such as daycare, K-12 and
healthcare facilities. The GREENGUARD Children & Schools standard was
developed by evaluating the chemical sensitivities of children and the unique
building characteristics of schools, and presenting the most stringent product
emissions criteria to date. Products certified under GREENGUARD Children &
Schools meet the criteria of CA DHS (Section 01350), and are specified in the
USGBC’s LEED for Schools Rating System, the CHPS Best Practices Manual, and the
Green Guide for Healthcare as criteria for low-emitting materials.
GREENGUARD for Building Construction
Building certification program for newly constructed multi-family and comme
properties that presents best practice guidelines for preventing mold during the
design, construction and ongoing operations of a property. Builders, developers
and owners work closely with authorized building consultants to implement these
guidelines in order to help inhibit indoor mold growth.
Understanding and Communicating
GREENGUARD Certification
GREENGUARD Certification Program
- Internationally recognized for evaluating product emissions and certifying building materials,
furnishings, finishes and cleaning products and processes that meet stringent indoor air quality
criteria defined by GEI.
- Currently, more than 120 manufacturers voluntarily participate in the program, offering over
150,000 interior products.
- Products undergo rigorous, third-party testing to determine their impact on indoor air pollution with
requirements for ongoing testing and verification.
- Certification confirms a manufacturer’s environmental responsibility, and signifies their
environmental achievements through independent, third-party testing and verification.
- GREENGUARD Certified products are recommended by leading sustainable building programs,
including:
- U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED® Rating System,
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Guidelines,
- Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC),
- United Kingdom Green Building Council (UKGBC),
- Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC),
- Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Best Practices Manual.
Indoor Air Quality
- Workers in developed countries spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors.
- Indoor air is often four to five times more polluted than outside air - these pollutants pose serious
environmental exposures to people.
- An US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) report found that illness and lost productivity due
to indoor air pollution, commonly called "sick building syndrome," (SBS) costs U.S. businesses $60
billion annually.
- Better indoor air quality is achieved through reduction of airborne chemicals and indoor air
pollution – by selecting products with low chemical emissions.
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI)
- GEI is an industry-independent, non-profit organization that oversees the GREENGUARD
Certification Program.
- In addition to product certification, GEI provides valuable tools and resources to the design and
specification community including:
- Free online Product Guide for finding GREENGUARD Certified products, with printable
certificates that can be used for verification and LEED submission.
- Continuing education courses approved by professional organizations like the International
Interior Design Association (IIDA).
- Downloadable product specifications organized by product type to easily include
GREENGUARD Certified products in project specifications.
Advantages of GREENGUARD Certification
The GREENGUARD Certification Program is internationally recognized for evaluating product emissions
and certifying building materials, furnishings, finishes and cleaning products and processes that meet
stringent indoor air quality criteria defined by GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). Products
undergo rigorous, third-party testing to determine their impact on indoor air pollution with requirements
for ongoing verification. The advantages of GREENGUARD Certification include:
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- Better indoor air quality through reduction of airborne chemicals and
indoor air pollution.
- Product identification and differentiation through the use of the
GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® mark.
- Certified products demonstrate a manufacturer’s environmental
achievements through independent, third-party testing and verification.
- Certified products confirm a manufacturer has a robust corporate
environmental responsibility program.
- Certified products are easy to find with GEI’s free online Product Guide,
and are easily recognized with the GREENGUARD mark on product
packaging.
- Certified products are recommended for use by leading sustainable
building programs, including:
- U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Rating System,
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building
Guidelines,
- Green Guide for Health Care,
- California’s Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Best
Practices Manual,
- New York City Department of Design and Construction Sustainable
Design Specifications, among others.
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Indoor Air Quality Resources
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute www.greenguard.org
The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is an industry independent, non-profit organization that
oversees the GREENGUARD Certification Program. As an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer, the GEI
establishes acceptable standards for indoor products and testing protocols. The Institute’s goal is to
improve public health and quality of life by helping manufacturers build better and safer products. The
GREENGUARD Certification Program is the only industry independent certification program for low
emitting products.
GREENGUARD Resources:
- Product Guide: Online, searchable database of thousands of low emitting interior building
materials and furnishings (under “Find Products” tab)
Aerias IAQ Resource Center www.aerias.org
Aerias IAQ Resource Center offers some of the most comprehensive, in-depth and up-to-date information
on indoor air quality available online. The reports, articles and statistics featured exclusively on Aerias
have been compiled based on studies conducted in Air Quality Sciences (AQS) laboratories, knowledge
gathered from AQS experience in the field, research and scientific literature surveys, and AQS extensive
database of pollutants and sources.
Aerias Resources:
For each building type, Commercial, Hospitality, Educational, Residential, Healthcare, and more, Aerias
has information divided into the following topics:
- Building Materials
- Building Occupants
- Indications of IAQ Problems
- Indoor Pollutants
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- Furnishings, Finishes, Products
- Assessment
- Prevention
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/iaq/
The EPA provides information about indoor air quality issues in homes, schools, and at work.
EPA Resources:
- AQ Design Tools for Schools - provides both detailed guidance as well as links to other
information resources to help design new schools as well as repair, renovate and maintain existing
facilities. (epa.gov/iaq/schools)
- Indoor Air Quality Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM) - provides a wealth of
information to building professionals on how to improve and manage IEQ in large buildings, from the
parking garage to the copy room. (epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/ibeam_page.htm)
- The Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality (CIAQ) - is a gateway to indoor air and
environment research related activities within the Federal government. (epa.gov/iaq/ciaq)
- Mold information - provides detailed guidance on how to avoid and mitigate this threat in such
publications as: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, and A Brief Guide to Mold,
Moisture, and Your Home. (epa.gov/mold)
U.S. Green Building Council www.usgbc.org
The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building
industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places
to live and work.
USGBC Resources:
- Sustainable Building Program - The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green
Building Rating System® is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing
highperformance, sustainable buildings. (under “LEED“ tab)
- Greenbuild - the USGBC’s Annual International Green Building Conference and Expo. Professionals
from around the world gather to advance the market and state-of-the-art green building.
(www.greenbuildexpo.org)
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute : 2211 Newmarket Parkway, Suite 110 : Marietta, Georgia 30067
1-800-427-9681 : www.greenguard.org
© 2005-2008 GG Publications, Inc.