what makes this material green?

The Green Roundtable(copyright © Green Roundtable 2007)

The Green Roundtable

What Makes ThisMaterial “Green”?

and


Green Roundtable

Consulting, education, trainingand strategic planning

to create healthy environments byintegrating principles of

sustainability into mainstreamplanning, design and construction.


Objectives

- What makes a material green

- What are some of the tools we can use to pick greenmaterials

- What other factors must be considered besides‘greenness’

- Where are the suppliers

Answer the following questions:

- What is the imperative for ‘doing green’


4

Why do green….


5

Some sad realities….

• Ozone depletion

• Air & water pollution

• Destruction of worlds forests & green spaces

• Species & biodiversity loss

• Acid rain

• Collapse of world’s fisheries

• Fresh water scarcity

• Topsoil loss; Soil contamination

Even if you don’t believe that the global warmingthreat is real, we are facing these certain realities:


6

And if global warming is real…

• Crop failure on a massive scale

• Increases in drought frequency

• Deadly heat waves

• Rising sea levels/ coastal flooding

• Increased frequency & duration of storm activity

• Expansion of desert areas

• Increases in disease vectors


7

On a more local or personal level…

• Rapidly rising energy costs

• Escalating prices on consumer goods

• Blackouts/ brownouts

• Water shortages

• Supply chain interruptions

• More frequent economic losses due to increased

storm intensity & flooding


8

The United States produces 25% of globalgreenhouse gas emissions. Americans

produce twice as much per person than otherindustrialized nations

Some sobering facts…


9

Water tables are now falling in countries thatcontain over half the world’s people



There are currently 1,243 EPA Superfundsites on the National Priorities List and 60

more proposed (as of 3/20/07)



11

The incidence of asthma has increaseddramatically over the last 25 years in the U.S.

and other industrialized nations.



12

The EPA estimates that indoor air can be upto five times as contaminated with VOCs as

outside air.



The EPA also reports that the airbornecontaminants found in our homes are threetimes more likely to cause cancer than the

pollutants outside



14

Cancer clusters have been identified insome more-affluent communities and have

been attributed to chemically-intensivelandscape management practices



A 15-year study in Oregon concluded thatwomen who work in the home have a 54%higher death rate from cancer than women

who work outside the home



16

China recently caught up to the United Statesin terms of overall energy consumption.

India isn’t far behind.

The U.S. & Canada are still the per capitaleaders by far



17


The U.S., with 5% of the worlds population,consumes more than a third of it’s resourcesand over a quarter of its energy resources.


18

Food for thought….


19


20

Perhaps the most sobering fact of all…

It has been estimated that in order for the currentpopulation of the Earth to live at the same quality of life asthe industrialized nations, it would require the resources of

four ‘Earth equivalents’.


21

This we know…

As a nation, the United States uses a disproportionateshare of the world’s natural resources

We live on a planet of finite natural resources

We are currently using those resources at anunsustainable rate

These conclusions are rooted in simple physics,chemistry, biology and economics


22

A solution:Green Building


23

Defining green building:

The effective and responsible integrationof the built environment into the naturalworld to protect natural resources andensure healthy and comfortable indoor

environments


Why build green?

• Reduces the ecological footprint of the building

• Creates a safer and healthier indoor environment

• May improve property resale value

• Saves on utility expenses

• May increase affordability

• Typically results in a more durable, maintenance-free building

• Reduces our dependence on foreign oil

Building green:

• Provides security/ passive survivability


What makes it green?

• Low embodied energy (entire lifecycle)

• Minimizes impact on wildlife habitat, green space,waterways, etc

• Minimizes depletion of natural resources

• Poses minimal harm to humans during itsmanufacture, transport, installation, end-use ordisposal


Underlying all:

ScaleScaleScale


The average size of a U.S. single-familyhouse has increased by 33% since 1975. At

the same time average family size hasdecreased.

Consider this:


How green is it?

• The “no-build” option is always the greenest way

• Smaller is greener

• More efficient material resources use is better

• The more durable (in use) & maintenance free thebetter

• The lower the operating energy, the better


Water Efficiency

Sustainable Sites

Energy & Atmosphere

Materials & Resources

Indoor Environmental Quality

Innovation & Design Process

The LEED Credit Categories


Life-cycle analysis & embodied energy

• Life-cycle analysis is an examination of all of theenergy & resources that go into a product and theirassociated impacts- environmental, economic,health, etc.

• Embodied energy typically occupies central positionin any LCA

• For LCA to be effective, you need to try to identify allof the ‘upstream’ energy & resource inputs

• This is often easier said than done!


Life-cycle stages to consider

• Extraction & harvesting

• Manufacture/ production

• Storage/ Warehousing

• Transportation

• Assembly & Installation

• End use (including maintenance)

• Disassembly/ demolition

• Transportation of waste

• Waste processing/ disposal


The quantity of energy required to manufacture, andsupply to the point of use including:

• Extraction• Transportation• Manufacturing

• Assembly• Installation• Some definitions also include:

Disassembly & Removal

What is embodied energy?


And don’t forget about embodied water!

• The food we consume each day requires2,000 quarts of water to produce

• Two and a half billion gallons of water wereused to replace the aluminum cans trashed in2001 with new cans made from virginmaterials.(http://www.bottlebill.org/about_bb/benefits/waste-alum.htm)


A new paradigm:

The Cradle-to-Cradle Lifecycle

See McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry

http://www.mbdc.com/c2c_home.htm


Materialsextraction/harvesting

Mfg/Processing End Use Disposal

Cradle to Grave: Linear flow


Cradle to Cradle: Cyclical

End Use

Demolition/Removal/Collection

Re-Manufacture/Re-Processing


38

Choosing green materials


39

• Identify ‘best in class’ product characteristics

• Identify your most important selection criteria

• Compare products side-by-side

• Don’t forget to factor in performance & durabilitycharacteristics

General methodology:

• Get additional guidance from suppliers

• Define what makes a product green

• Verify green claims using 3rd party resources


40

• Need to be wary of so-called “green” resourcessponsored by manufacturer associations

• Determining most important criteria can be verysubjective

Points to remember

• It may be difficult to determine the best-in-classfor a product category

• A product may be green on some attributes but noton others

• Certain greenness criteria may be more important/applicable to some product classes than to others


Selection criteria: Materials

• Efficiently uses energy & resources

• Contains high recycled material content

• Derived from rapidly renewable resources

• Can be reused/ recycled at the end of it’s useful life

• Can be down-cycled at the end of it’s useful life

• Biodegradable

• Locally sourced

• Poses minimal harm in production, use, disposal

• Contains re-used/ salvaged material

• Economics & environmental justice also important!


Post-Consumer vs. Pre-Consumeraka Post-Industrial

Recycled Content


43

The Precautionary Principle

Precautionary Principle: "When an activity raisesthreats of harm to human health or the

environment, precautionary measures should betaken even if some cause and effect relationships

are not fully established scientifically. In thiscontext the proponent of an activity, rather than

the public, should bear the burden of proof." -Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary

Principle, Jan. 1998(http://www.sehn.org/wing.html)


Some things we may want to write off:

• Vinyl-based products

• Products containing halogenated fire-retardants

• Products containing heavy metals like arsenic

• Products that emit excessive amounts offormaldehyde

• Appliances that contain HCFC’s and do not meet thestandards referenced by LEED


3rd Party Resources for Judging Products

• Certification organizations (GreenSeal, FSC, etc.)

• LCA software tools (BEES, PHAROS, etc.)

• Online green product databases (e.g. GreenSpec)

• Manufacturer Material Safety Data Sheets

• Other online databases like NIH hazardous materialsdatabase


Online resources

• Environmental Building News/ Greenspec-http://www.buildinggreen.com)

•http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/Sourcebook/index.htm


Product Certification

• Scientific Certification Systems(www.scscertified.com)

• Green Label (http://www.carpet-rug.org/) (2nd party)

• GreenSeal (www.greenseal.org)

• GreenGuard (www.greenguard.org)

• Forest Stewardship Council (http://www.fscus.org/)


Green Seal Product Categories

• Alternative Fueled Vehicles (GC-02)

• Anti-Corrosive Paints (GC-03)**

• Cleaning Services (GS-42)

• Coated Printing Paper (GS-10)

• Commercial Adhesives (GS-36)

• Compact Fluorescent Lamps (GS-05)+

• Degreasers (GS-34)

• Electric Chillers (GS-31)

• Fleet Vehicle Maintenance (GC-10)

• Food Service Packaging (GS-35)


• Green Procurement Criteria (GS-38)***

• Green Facilities Operation and Maintenance Criteria(GS-39)***

• Household Cleaners (GS-08)

• Industrial & Institutional Cleaners (GS-37)#

• Industrial & Institutional Floor-Care Products (GS-40)

• Industrial & Institutional Hand Cleaners (GS-41)

• Lodging Properties (GS-33)

• Newsprint (GS-15)

• Occupancy Sensors (GC-12)



• Paints (GS-11)**

• Paper Products Used in the Preparation of Food(GC-08)

• Paper Towels and Paper Napkins (GS-09)

• Powdered Laundry Bleach (GC-11)

• Printing and Writing Paper (GS-07)

• Recycled Content Latex Paint Standard (GS-43)

• Re-Refined Engine Oil (GS-03)

• Reusable Utility Bags (GS- 16)



• Tissue Paper (GS-01)

• Windows (GS-13)

• Window Films (GS-14)



53

Software tools


• BEES 4.0 (see next slide)

• Pharos (http://www.healthybuilding.net;http://www.pharosproject.net/)

• Sylvatica (http://www.sylvatica.com/tools.html)

• LISA (http://www.lisa.au.com)

A sampling of software tools


http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/oae/software/bees.html


PHAROS


Other tools/ methods

• Check “SIRI” database for Material Safety DataSheet (MSDS) at http://siri.uvm.edu/index.html

• Check NIH Toxnet Database(http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/)

• Check for known dangers/ toxicity at NIHHousehold Products Database(http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm)

• Contact manufacturer


Considerations forChoosing Best-in-Class

(a brief sampling)


What makes it green? (in review)

• Low embodied energy (entire lifecycle)

• Minimizes impact on wildlife habitat, green space,waterways, etc

• Minimizes depletion of natural resources (rapidlyrenewable, recyclable, etc.)

• Poses minimal harm to humans during itsmanufacture, transport, installation, end-use ordisposal

The jumping off point for all product classes:


Lumber

• From sustainably managed forests

• Sourced locally

• Naturally decay-resistant

• Easy to work with (milling, finishing, etc.)

• Locally salvaged or salvaged from demo phase

• Sawdust & natural volatiles non-toxic


Engineered lumber/ composites(sheet goods, plywood)

• Made w/ low-VOC, formaldehyde-free adhesives

• Accepts finish well

• Dimensionally stable, warp resistant

• Contain recycled fibers or rapidly renewable fibers(FSC, GreanSeal, SCS, etc.)

• Good screw-holding characteristics

• Moisture & mold resistant


Paints

• Low or no VOC; low odor

• Good coverage (minimal coats)

• Pose minimal occupational hazard duringmanufacture (meets ISO 14001, OSHA, etc)

• Durable- scrubbable

• Do not pose a disposal hazard

• Easy touch-up (e.g. good color matching w/ old vs.new)


Adhesives/ Sealants

• Low or no VOC

• Easy clean-up

• Freeze-tolerant

• UV resistant

• Flexible (or not, depending upon application!)

• Adequate ‘open time’

• Do not pose a disposal hazard


Carpeting and Flooring

• Formaldehyde-free

• Durable- abrasion, impact & moisture resistant (hardflooring)

• Made from rapidly renewable or recycled materials

• Mold resistant (carpeting)

• Simplified installation (e.g. doesn’t require adhesive)

• Requires minimal maintenance (cleaning,refinishing)

• Stain resistant

• Easy sectional replacement (e.g. carpet tiles)


Exterior Decking


• Requires a minimum of maintenance (sealers, etc.)

• Stable- resistant to checking & warping

• UV & fade resistant

• Naturally decay resistant

• Recyclable (I.e. Trex vs. all-plastic)


Insulation

• Formaldehyde free (e.g. binders in fiberglass batts)

• HCFC-free blowing agents (foam board)

• High recycled content (fiberglass, cellulose, denim)

• High thermal insulating characteristics! Goodresistance to air infiltration (these may trump otherfactors if it can reduce embodied energy of structureenough)

• Moisture/ mold resistant

• Low flame-spread/ non-combustible


Kitchen counters


• Durable- Abrasion, heat & stain resistant

• Mechanically fastened

• Require minimal maintenance

• Easily resurfaced

• Minimal off-gassing from adhesives/ binders


Exterior Siding


• Weather resistant; UV resistant

• Easy to install

• Breathable

• Requires fewer paint/ refinishing/ repointing cycles


Roofing


• High-reflectance (improves longevity, minimizes heatisland effect, keeps building cooler in summer)

• Wind & UV resistant; fire-resistant; impact resistant

• Easy to repair

• Low or no maintenance requirements


The product selection matrix:Detailed


AFM SafeCoat Comments PPG Pure Performance Comments

Manufacturer AFM Enterprises Pittsburg Paints

Where manufactured San Diego, CA Dover, DE

Impact Criteria:

Raw mat'l

extraction

Main constituents Manufacturing outsourced vinyl acetate ethylene

resins

Where raw mat'ls aquired Not determined Not determined

Distance to mfgr plant (raw matls) Not determined Not determined

Renewable feedstocks Not determined Not determined

Recycled content Not determined Not determined

Mfg. phase Plants ISO 14001 certified Not determined Yes

OSHA-compliant plant Yes Yes

Toxics/carcinogens in mfg Yes But less than conventional Yes But less than conventional

EPA VOC Guidelines followed Yes Yes

Aromatic solvents used in mfg No No

Heavy metals used in mfg No No

Water-based? Yes Yes

% mfg waste reclaimed Not determined Not determined

How mfg waste disposed Not determined Not determined

Water conserv./recycling in mfg? Yes "No wastewater discharge"

Recycled packaging No No

Use phase Distance: mgfr to end-use ~3000 mi. < 500 mi.

Life-expectancy Mfg: "Typical life exp."

Durability "same as premium latex" Same as conventional

Maintenance req'd.?

Maint. procedure

Maint. environmental impacts

Zero VOCs in end-use? Yes Yes

VOC content, base product Zero Zero

Independently certified VOC free? No Yes

Tints/Colorants VOC-free? Yes If AFM colorants used No < 2g/liter, max.

Formaldehyde-free? Yes Yes

Meets SCAQMD Reqs. Yes Yes

Safe for chemically sensitive? Yes Not determined

Enviro. precautions req'd. Yes Yes Air quality, disposal

Nature of precautions Air quality, disposal "Use adeq. ventilation" Air quality, disposal

Product recyclable? No No

Ease of dismantling/recycling Low Low

Take-back program available No No

Recycling infrastructure in place No No

Re-useable? No No

Biodegradable? No No

RCRA Hazardous material? No See MSDS No See MSDS

Const. waste disposal General C&D waste "Let dry out" General C&D waste "use absorbant

Packaging recyclable No No

Packaging take-back No No

General Environmental policy/commitment Yes Yes

Green Seal certified No Yes Class "A" rating

Detailed Life-Cycle Impact Workheet- Interior Wall Paint

"Disposal"

phase


The product selection matrix:Condensed


AFM

Safecoat

Pittsburgh

Pure

Criteria:

GWP Moderate Moderate

Fossil Fuel Depletion Moderate Moderate

Transportation Energy Moderate Low

Indoor Air Quality Low Low

Disposal, left-overs Moderate Moderate

Disposal, end-of-life Moderate Moderate

Durability High High

ISO 14001 Cert. No Yes

Green Seal Cert. No Yes

Environmental CommitmentHigh High

Wall Paint

General Environmental Impact and Selection Criteria


Owens-Corning

Miraflex

National Fiber

Cel-Pak

Criteria:

GWP Very High Low

Fossil Fuel Depletion Very High Low

Transportation Energy Moderate Low

Overall Embodied Energy Excessive! Low

IAQ Low Low*

Disposal, const. waste Low to Moderate Low

Disposal, end-of-life Low to Moderate Low

Rapidly Renewable No Yes

Certified Recycled Content NA Yes

Durability/ Longevity High High

Thermal Performance Moderate High**

ISO 14001 Cert. ND ND

Green Guard Cert. Yes No

Environmental Commitment High ND

* Odor may be problem for some

Wall Insulation

General Environmental Impact and Selection Criteria

** Due to higher R-value and resistance to air infiltration


Green Practice:General Considerations forChoosing & Using Materials

(a sampling)


Lumber

• Use advanced framing to minimize lumber use; useefficient planning to minimize waste (also use layoutsoftware- Google layout & cut list software)

• Use FSC certified lumber (Forest StewardshipCouncil; www.fsc.org)

• Use salvaged lumber from specialty suppliers likeLongleaf Lumber in Cambridge (617-871-6611)


Lumber, cont.

• Suppliers with stated commitment to sustainableforest management like Highland Hardwoods inBrentwood, NH (www.highlandhardwoods.com)

• For a view of sustainable forestry practices, seeHancock Land Co. in Maine (www.hancockland.com)and Cowl’s Lumber in N. Amherst, MA(http://www.sawmilltimbers.com/html/sustainable.html)

• Get FSC lumber from Sterritt Lumber in Watertown(617-923-1480) or Mass Woodlands Cooperative(413-397-8800; www.masswoodlands.coop)

• Remember to use local sources whenever possible!


Lumber/ Lumber Finishing

• Use lumber salvaged from demolition phase

• Use natural finishes like salad bowl oil (unscented),mineral oil, beeswax (waxes may contain petroleumdistillates)

• Use low-VOC clear finishes (e.g. water-solublepolyurethane) from companies like AFM Safecoat

• Avoid use of tropical hardwoods


Engineered lumber/ composites(sheet goods, plywood)

• Choose formaldehyde-free varieties

• Examples of formaldehyde-free MDF (fiberboard):Medite or Medex from Sierra Pine (sierrapine.com)or Extira (cmicompany.com)

• Use exterior grades of plywood or MDF (medium-density fiberboard); they contain phenol-formaldehydebinders rather than formaldehyde-based resin binders,which are generally safer; favor plywood over OSB

• Look for SCS (and FSC) certification

• Use solid lumber whenever possible (except forstructural use)


Paints• Use low or no VOC paints

• Brands:- Sherwin-Williams Harmony- Benjamin Moore Aura (& Ecospec)- Pittsburg Pure Performance- AFM Safecoat (www.afmsafecoat.com)- The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company(www.milkpaint.com)- Livos plant paints(http://www.floorings.com/livos.html)- Yolo Colorhouse (See bettencourtwood.com)

• Make sure paints are Green Seal or ScientificCertification Systems certified (www.greenseal.org;www.scscertified.com)


Adhesives/ Sealants

• Use low or no VOC varieties

• Water-soluble varieties generally safer

• Look for Green Seal or Scientific CertificationSystems certified (www.greenseal.org;www.scscertified.com)


Carpeting and Flooring

• Choose formaldehyde-free varieties

• Choose natural fiber carpets & flooring from rapidlyrenewable resources: cork, bamboo, Lyptus(Weyerhaeuser.com) and Marmoleum (forbo.com) aresome good options

• Look for Carpet and Rug Institute Green Labeldesignation for carpets (http://www.carpet-rug.org/)

• Local suppliers of bamboo & cork: Longleaf Lumber,Lumber Liquidators

• When using cork and bamboo flooring, make surethere are not issues related to binders, substrates &finishes


Carpeting and Flooring, cont.

• See online sources of recycled & low-VOC flooringlike http://www.greenfloors.com

• Check resources likehttp://www.nps.gov/sustain/spop/carpet.htm andbuildinggreen.com for info on sustainable flooringchoices including natural fiber carpet manufacturers &low-VOC adhesives


Insulation

• Look for formaldehyde-free fiberglass products- e.g.Johns Mansville (contained in some fiberglass battbinders)

• Newer soy-based foams may be good choice too(see www.biobased.net)

• Icynene spray foam one of more benign options


Kitchen counters

• Avoid laminated particleboard (e.g. Formica) unlesson formaldehyde-free substrate & bonded with low-VOC contact adhesive

• Examples of formaldehyde-free substrates:Wheatboard, Agriboard (see Bettencourtwood.com)

• Favor solid surface & products that use mechanicalfasteners and don’t require finishing

• Natural stone & recycled glass might be good options

• See Paperstone also (www.bettencourtwood.com)


Exterior Decking

• 100% plastic varieties may be best choice as they aregenerally more recyclable than composites (like Trex)

• Pressure treated may be OK but it requiresconsiderable care to keep it from weathering tooquickly; For a more environmentally preferable option,borate treated lumber may be a better choice (thanthe ‘typical’ ACQ pressure-treated lumber)

• Ipe is a good choice if it is harvested fromsustainably managed forests

• If cedar or redwood is used, make sure it is not fromold-growth forests (use Eastern White Cedar)

• “Raw” linseed oil may be good choice for finishing(“boiled” contains chemical driers)


Exterior Siding

• Look for durability & ease-of maintenance in additionto the ‘usual’ criteria

• Ease of installation may affect cost (and yourwillingness!) to use product

• There are several composite materials on the marketnow that make use of recycled wood fibers

• If cedar is used, make sure it is not from old-growthforests (see Maibec Eastern White Cedar)

• Masonry finishes generally provide the best longevity& require the least maintenance


Roofing

• Use high-reflectance roofing to minimize urban heatislands and cooling loads

• There are many products available that incorporaterecycled materials, like faux slate shingles made fromrecycled rubber

• Metal roofs (like standing seam) may be consideredsustainable due to their durability, but they may havea relatively high embodied energy

• Use of copper roofing/ roof drainage materials maypose an environmental hazard (to aquatic wildlife)


Some roofing options

• Ecostar- www.ecostarinc.com

• Interlock- www.interlockroofing.com

• Authentic Roof- www.authentic-roof.com

• Naturals- www.naturalsroofing.com

• Note: Some of these given high marks based ondurability more so than recycled content

• Natural slate a fairly sustainable option

• Also, cedar shakes if from sustainable wood source& installed properly


Additional guidelines for material efficiency

• Employ advanced framing techniques in wood-framed structures

• Keep it small!

• Use structure as finish

• Use re-used/ salvaged/ surplus materials wheneverpossible

• Use locally harvested/ extracted materials wheneverpossible


Some Pitfalls in Spec’ing Green Materials

• Uninformed & resistant code and municipal officials

• Products that ‘go away’

• Sourcing materials in a developing market

• “Greening” small-scale projects


Alternative Energy Storewww.altenergystore.com

Boston Building Materials Coopwww.bbmc.com

Boston Materials Resource Centerwww.bostonbmrc.org

Boston ReStorewww.bostonrestore.org

Green Depotwww.greendepot.com

Local sources of supply


Pure Home Centerwww.purehomecenter.com

Green Source Supply and Designwww.greensourcesupply.com

NE Green Buildingwww.NEgreen.com

Local sources of supply, cont.


GRT: www.greenroundtable.orgBuilding Green: www.buildinggreen.comEnergy Star: www.energystar.govCharles River Watershed: www.crwa.orgUS Green Building Council: www.usgbc.orgRenewable Energy: www.nrel.govUS DOE: www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/EPA: www.epa.gov/ne/greenbuildings

Residential Green Building Guide:A Web Source Book for New Englandwww.epa.gov/ne/greenbuildings

NAHB: Model Green Home Building Guidelines:www.nahb.org

General Resources


• Upcoming workshops• Reference library• Samples library• Cyber Lounge• Online resources at nexusboston.com (in the

pipeline)• Local green building community

And don’t forget about NEXUS!


Local Resources


The Green Roundtable, Inc. (GRT) is an independent non-profitorganization whose mission is to mainstream green building andsustainable design and become obsolete. We work toward this goal bypromoting and supporting healthy and environmentally integrated buildingprojects through strategic outreach, education, policy advocacy andtechnical assistance.

[email protected]

617-374-3740

www.nexusboston.com38 Chauncy Street, Boston

Located in downtown Boston, NEXUSwelcomes all to come ask questions,research topics, and attend tours andevents on green building and sustainabledesign innovation.

THANK YOU

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