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More Low VOC Building Materials
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More Low-VOC Building Materials

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Product Information Product Information
   
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Green Seal Product Database
Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organization that strives to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment by identifying and promoting products and services that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserve resources and habitats, and minimize global warming and ozone depletion. Green Seal has no financial interest in the products that it certifies or recommends nor in any manufacturer or company. Green Seal's evaluations are based on state-of-the-art science and information using internationally recognized methods and procedures. Thus, Green Seal provides credible, objective, and unbiased information whose only purpose is to direct the purchaser to environmentally responsible products and services.

GreenSpec Binder Environmental Building News (binder must be purchased from EBN.) 
The info will be available via internet subscription soon) An excellent database of green products, including low VOC adhesives & sealants.  Includes manufacturers' literature, product listings by manufacturer (with addresses, phone numbers, and descriptions), and guideline specifications.

Federal Supply Service:  Sealants & Adhesives
GSA's Hardware Superstore. 
This comprehensive database and online store requires either some prior experience with the GSA system or step by step guidance.  Many will not find this link useful.

Plaza Hardwood, Inc., Fine Wood Floors
Sales brochure from Plaza Hardwood Inc., manufacturuer of hardwood floors that are FSC certified (as harvested "sustainably").  These floors could be an alternative to traditional carpeting.

Interface Flooring Solutions
Sales brochures from Interface Americas.   Interface offers unique, env friendly flooring systems (carpets, resilient textile, concrete tiles) as well as floor cleaning products & adhesives.  The company has a fundamental "sustainabiliy" goal and four out of ten commerical carpet tile customers worldwide use Interface flooring.

EcoTimber Flooring, Decking, & More
Sales brochure from EcoTimber Floors, cabinetry, decking, construction lumber, etc. from FSC certified wood.  Included as an option to carpets and particle board products that emit VOC's.

Healthy Homes.
This site will allow you to purchase low-VOC building materials.

The Green Guide to NeoCon (Brochure).
A listing of companies, interior design and architects, who employ sustainable 'green' product designs.Please contact the Clean Air Counts Office for a copy.

 

Fact Sheet How-To Information
   
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 HOK Product Questionnaire Hellmuth, Obata, Kassabaum
Need to get permission to use this.  HOK sent this questionnaire to product manufacturers to assess the environmental friendliness of over 1,000 products.  If an architect/builder wants to go through the same product search process, maybe they can use this questionnaire.

LEED Green Building Rating System, Version 2.0
U.S. Green Building Council  document that explains the comprehensive system developed by the USGBC to evaluate the "greenness" of  commercial buildings.  Divided into sections: site, water, energy and atmosphere, materials, & IAQ.  States baseline requirements and how to get bonus points.  For each bonus point, provides "Technologies / Strategies" that gives builders/architects a "how-to" clue.  Excellent way to give someone a good picture of what green building is & how green you can get.  Low-VOC bldg prods is in IAQ.  Tells you whose VOC limits/standards to go by for various prodcuts.

A Guide to Developing Green Builder Programs  National Association of Home Builders document written by the NAHB Research Center to help builders/HBAs create a green builder program.  Atlanta's EarthCraft house was developed simultaneously and helped to shape the guide.  Very comprehensive guide (190 pages).

 

Contracts Specification/Contract/Purchasing Language
   
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Appendix A:  Definition of Low VOC Content Levels As Defined in the RTP Construction Contract
U.S. EPA (Leading by Example Case Study). A list of VOC limits set by the US EPA in the building of the RTP facility.  Limits were established by balancing air quality requirements with desire to be able to select from a few products.  Can serve as guideline for other development projects

GreenSpec Binder Environmental Building News (You must purchase the binder from EBN).
The info will be available via internet subscription soon) An excellent database of green products, including low VOC adhesives & sealants.  Includes manufacturers' literature, product listings by manufacturer (with addresses, phone numbers, and descriptions), and guideline specifications. Also listed above in "Product Information".

EarthCraft House Guidelines:  Indoor Air Quality Southface
EarthCraft House is Atlanta's green building certification program.  This is the IAQ section of the EarthCraft house guidelines.  It states the VOC limits for sealants, adhesives, paints, stains, & finishes.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory product specifications.
Specifications for carpet and resilient floorings that are environmentally-friendly.

 

Case Studies Case Studies
   
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Leading by Example - 2 Case Studies Documenting How the EPA Incorporated Environmental Features into New Buildings
Two excellent, in-depth case studies from the U. S. EPA.  Describes how the EPA went about commissioning & building two green buildings.  Reading about the entire process may be interesting to organizations thinking of doing the same.  Useful sections for low VOC bldg prod specifically include pgs 18-21 (managing sources of emissions), pgs 42-46 (matls & construction processes to maintain indoor air quality), Appdx A (VOC limits for specific matls).

Energy Resource Building

Ridgehaven, San Diego, CA

Miller SQA
"Going for the Green: Builders warming to environmentally friendly structures" (Article). Crain's Chicago Business article discussing the benefits of using green design to lower energy costs, increase worker productivity, and lower overall maintenance cost of a building. The article also notes the rise of green buildings in the Chicagoland area. Please contact the Clean Air Counts Office for a copy.

EPA EPP's Federal Pilot Projects.
Organized by products or services, a listing of federal pilot projects who are using environmentally friendly designs in their development.

Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, Great Lakes Naval Training Center Project.
Paper regarding the outcomes of the Federal Pilot Project on sustainable design on new developments at the Naval Training Center. Please contact the Clean Air Counts Office for a copy.

 


Technical Information Technical Information
   
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Design Ecology.
A brief by the International Design Association on the future of green design. Having surveyed facility managers and professional designers, the paper was written with the results concering five key questions on sustainable design practices. The paper also covers how to incorporate sustainable design practices. Please contact the Clean Air Counts Office for a copy.

 

Model Ordinances Model Ordinances
 
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Regulating Air Emissions from Paint:  A Model Rule for State & Local Air Agencies
STAPPA, ALAPCO model ruling for states & localities with regards to VOC limits in architectural coatings.  Includes a comparison of suggested limits versus current national limits.

CA ARB Suggested Control Measure for Architectural Coatings
California Air Resources Board measure as approved by the CA ARB on June 22, 2000.  Defines a number of architectural coating products, sets VOC limits, discusses labelling requirements, reporting requirements, etc.

Summary of Architectural Coating Rules for CA:  VOC Limits in g/L
California Air Resources Board's four-page table showing what various localities have designated as VOC limits for certain architectural coating products.

 

Model Ordinances Resources/Vendors
 
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Source Provider (Interface's local vendor)
Interface Americas contact info for Interface flooring product vendors, installers, & service providers.

REDI:  Resources for Environmental Design Index
Oikos on-line database of environmentally friendly products, organized by CSI.  Gives company name, link to their web site, phone number, andcompany type (i.e.,  manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or mail order).  Doesn't state product brand name, only CSI number and environmental attribute.  Users should be sure to use the pull-down menus, not just the "featured companies".

GreenSpec Binder Environmental Building News
(You must purchase the binder from EBN.  The info will be available via internet subscription soon) An excellent database of green products, including low VOC adhesives & sealants.  Includes manufacturers' literature, product listings by manufacturer (with addresses, phone numbers, and descriptions), and guideline specifications. Also listed above in "Product Information" and "Specification/Contract/Purchasing Language".

Buy Green Contacts GSA  
Contacts for purchasing environmental products through the GSA, by region.

 

Model Ordinances Software & Reporting Tools
 
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BEES Version 2.0 Software
National Institute of Standards and Technology's software and user's manual.  Software uses life cycle analysis to examine the tradeoffs - environmental, economic, & overall - when using certain buillding products in the database.  Estimates are based on industry avergaes.  Can also add a specific product into the database, if all the necessary data is available.  Helpful decision making tool for those who want to balance cradle-to-grave environmental  impacts and costs.

BEES Version 2.0 Manual

 

 

 

 
 
 
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