Originally published in Interiors & Sources
October 2009
The EcoLibrary™ Matrix: October 2009
Certification programs and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) both provide a valuable approach to evaluating the environmental performance of products
Certification programs and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) both provide a valuable approach to evaluating the environmental performance of products. However, a combination of the two provides even deeper insight and credibility. The following matrix identifies various certification programs currently in use by architects and designers and provides an evaluation of eacha, with the inclusion of a life-cycle approach, and with LCA as a part of the certification program.
Certification programs in this Matrix a were selected and reviewed by The Green Standard based on their frequent use with interior building products, the focus of Interiors & Sources and The Green Guide to Greenbuild. This list represents varied types of sustainability certifications: Ecolabeling Programs, Single/Multi-Attribute Certifications as well as Sustainable Product Standards. |
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Certification
Program
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Scope of Certification
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Transparency
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 signifies meeting the criteria
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signifies meeting the criteria
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Singular Focus
(recycled content, sustainable forestry, etc.)
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Multiple Attribute Focus
(combines more than one focus area)
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Life Cycle Focus
(criteria spans a cradle-to-grave concept)
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Publicly Available Assessment Methods and Performance Thresholds
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Third-Party Certification
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Publicly Available Summary of Results
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Multi-Stakeholder Development Process
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Public Standards Appeals Process
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C2C
McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry
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EcoLogo
Managed by TerraChoice
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Energy Star
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Floor Score
Scientific Certification Systems
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FSC Certified
Forest Stewardship Council
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GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute
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Green Label Plus
Carpet & Rug Institute
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Green Seal
Green Seal Organization
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Indoor Advantage
Scientific Certification Systems
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level™
The BIFMA Sustainability Standard
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SMART Sustainable Product Standard
Market Transformation to Sustainability
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Sustainability Assessment for Resilient Floor Coverings (NSF 332-2008)
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Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard NSF 140-2007
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Sustainable Choice
Scientific Certification Systems
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SFI Certified
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
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NOTES:
- Based on information publicly available on the program's Web site.
- Since program contains mulitple product categories with different criteria, the authors cannot guarantee that these criteria apply to each category directly. In principle, the program addresses these.
- Only requires the use of LCA to reach the highest level of certification: Platinum.
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