I have been researching sustainable products for a project I am working on. I have noticed a number of products that make misleading or false statements. Here are some of the ones I have found.
Misleading statement #1: Automatic ID Credit
Nothing will give you an automatic ID (Innovation in Design) credit.
The following statement was taken from the U.S. Green Building Council’s website. (This document specifically):
LEED ID Credits are evaluated for each project. It is important to note that the award of an ID Credit for one project at a specific point in time does not constitute automatic approval for a similar strategy in a future project. Innovation credits are not awarded for the use of a particular product or design strategy if the technology aids in the achievement of an existing LEED credit.
USGBC does produce a catalog of ID credits awarded on past projects. But this document is meant as a “brainstorming tool only to assist project teams in the development of new ID credits. It does not set any precedent to be upheld during a LEED Certification Review.”
Misleading statement #2: LEED Certified Product
The USGBC does not certify, endorse or promote products, services or companies, nor do we track, list or report data related to products and their environmental qualities.
However, using green products and materials may contribute to a building’s LEED Certification. See our Green Building Links for information from other green building organizations.
Misleading Statement #3: LEED Qualified Product
The image below was taken from a carpet manufacturer’s website. The USGBC strictly prohibits using LEED in reference to a product. Refer to the Member Logos and Guidelines on the USGBC website.
The logo may not be placed on product packaging, ads, or be used as a visual reference to LEED claims in product literature. For example, the logo cannot be placed next to text that says, “Product A can help fulfill Credit X under the LEED Rating System”
Although the logo below does not use the actual LEED logo, the name still implies endorsement. This is wrong and misleading.
Further more, the language included in the image above is not clear. It is fantastic that their carpet contains 10% recycled content. However, is it post-consumer or pre-consumer? There is a difference when calculating your total project recycled content. LEED instructs us to only to take 1/2 of the pre-consumer content and all of the post-consumer content.
In addition, claims that because a product is 100% recycled, your project will earn points is incomplete. Your overall project needs to meet certain goals, not just a single product. If the only recycled content in your project was the carpet above, you would most likely get no recycled content credits.
Conclusion
LEED is a complicated guide to green building. It is complicated because it needs to be thorough. Here are some things you can do as an owner, developer, home owner or concerned tenant to help you through the green building process.
- Ask a LEED Accredited Professional. All LEED APs are listed at the Green Building Certification Institutue’s website. (The GBCI is the testing and certification arm of the USGBC, although it is completely independent from the standards writing USGBC.)
- BJG has 7 LEED APs and we would be happy to help you with your next proejct. Feel free to contact us: Reno (775.827.1010), Las Vegas (702.990.3532) or Pleasanton (925.251.9800).
- Ask questions. Many manufacturers will tell you that their product will give you 6 LEED points. (This happened to a coworker of mine today, in fact). As discussed above, this statement is not true. Ask them what points their product will contribute to. Ask them for literature and backup. Really press them on how their product is green.
- There are some directories out there for reference. Many cities, like Portland and Santa Monica, are starting to compile directories of products not only green, but also regionally manufactured. Buildinggreen.com and Builditgreen.com are reputable sources for green information.
Everyone wants a piece of the green building pie. Make sure to not get caught up in the marketing hype.
Elliott,
BRAVO! As if the LEED rating system (or any green building rating system, for that matter) wasn’t complicated enough, the multitude of misleading claims by product manufacturers and service providers only serves to confuse and disinsent the users of said rating systems (be they architects, builders, developers or the consumer). In their mad rush to align themselves with a “brand”, these companies are only disenfranchising the public at large on “green”, rather than supporting the industry.
Traci D’ALessio
Assistant Director
Built Green Colorado
LEED for Homes Provider
I work for a lighting fixture manufacturer. Does LEED publish any brief and understandable document that tells me what would contribute to the success of a LEED project. For instance, if I am making an outdoor fixture that is made out of aluminum, how much of that aluminum would need to be from post consumer aluminum? What about packaging and sourcing components, how does LEED guide me in creating a more friendly product?
We are trying to become a “green” supplier, and have contacted many manufactures of these products. After reading this article I am very concerned about what the manufactures of products are telling me. Other than the two sites you listed are there any other resouces for green building products, that have in the past be used and qualified during a LEED build?
@Michael I am not aware of a quick summary of the LEED rating system, although there may be something available on line. One reference our staff has used to study for the LEED exam is http://www.intheleed.com. LEED is comprehensive and a whole building approach so it is tough to break it down to one vendor with a list of requirements, although each component certainly does contribute to the whole picture. You could consider reviewing each point and those that are applicable to your work set minimum goals accordingly. For example, for Materials & Resources 4.1, the goal is to provide recycled content of 10%. So your product could prepare information showing based on value how much of your product is made from recycled content with pre-consumer recycled content divided by half per LEED. If you did this for each point I am sure that LEED AP’s would enjoy having this information readily available to use in their work for the entire project. Hope that helps!
@Franics, If your products qualify, you might try to certify them through a third party. See this link for details (bottom): http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1804
The other thing you can do to set your self apart from your competitors is be open and transparent about your products. Make the sustainable information easy to find. Put a link to the information on the front of your website. Make it a requirement in product literature. When I look for a product, I want to know where it is manufactured, how much recycled content (pre and post consumer), if it is painted, what about VOCs, etc.
USG and Armstrong Ceilings are both examples of companies that provide open and transparent information for not only LEED, but sustainable design for their products.
http://www.sustainableceilings.com and http://www.armstrong.com/commceilingsna/article45637.html
I hope that helps.
I just found this article via twitter that explains some of the authentic "green" product verification organizations.
http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2009/05/14/how-to-spo…