From the Editor
Mirroring the facility management industry as a whole, as green building is growing up, it is becoming increasingly specialized. The proliferation of green product certifications is evidence of this. No longer can manufacturers get away with calling a product “environmentally friendly” and expect to be believed. Now, there are specific green certifications for just about every type of building product and for just about every environmental attribute.

If you’re going to use these so-called eco-labels as a criterion for product selection, it’s important that you know what they really mean. What specific environmental criteria do they verify and how? Are the standards based on science, or on a guess? Which organization governs the standard and where do they get their funding?  Some trade organizations, or even individual manufacturers, have dreamed up their own green certifications, which may be less credible than the independent, third-party certifications.  Hopefully, the information below can be a start to helping you tell the difference.

Cheers,
Greg Zimmerman, editor

Green Strategies
Stamp of Approval?
Green certifications are on the rise. Here’s what you need to know about what exactly these so-called eco-labels really mean.

In the News
USGBC Opens Comment Period on Changes to Certified Wood Credits in LEED
USGBC may change the controversial credit that requires certified wood. 

Green Toolkit
Green Products Directory
Building Operating Management’s annual Green Product Directory offers a list of the most well-recognized and credible third-party green certifications, information about each one, and a list of certified manufacturers (current as of late May, 2008).

Green Pulse
Do you use third-party green certifications as a criterion for product selection?
- Yes, always

- Sometimes

- Never 

Click here to answer and view results.

GreenTech Conference & Exposition
New Training on Power and Energy Issues
The Facility Decisions Conference and Expo (September 16-17, Las Vegas) offers 50 free educational sessions including many on power and energy. Learn how you can better anticipate the energy needs of tomorrow and address power supply issues today. Included are perspectives from suppliers and end-users on deregulation, alternative power sources, and technology’s role in improving efficiency.

Register for these free sessions and more.