Creating criteria to determine when a building material used in green building is green is a continuing struggle. Now that green building is becoming an idea whose time has come, one of the problems are claims by manufacturers that their products are “green”. Not unlike food manufacturers that claim their products are fat free, or low cholesterol or low calorie or just plain healthier, we are faced with a growing number of materials producers who are doing what is being referred to as “greenwashing”.

Environmental Building News, the most comprehensive and up-to-date journal on green or sustainable building has created some basic standards for what defines a building material as green. Their work has proved to be very effective. Take a look at their green building materials standard.

Environmental Building News has taken the next step. They have produced GreenSpec, which includes over 1,650 environmentally preferable building materials. If you are seriously considering building a new home or remodeling one, this information can save you lots of time and effort. More information about GreenSpec.

Note at the bottom of this reference that you can look at 100 of their product reviews to see how they can be helpful to you. If you get an online subscription to their journal it includes being able to access their entire system including the GreenSpec system. For anyone planning to build or remodel green, it would be well worth the cost just in time saved.