Feature

GREENGUARD Certified Products Expand Their Reach into Juvenile/Educational Environments

There are more than 74 million children in the United States today and all of them are spending more than 85% of their time indoors, either at home, at school or at daycare. In fact, children receive approximately 75% of their environmental exposures indoors, and this is not surprising since the indoor air is 2-5 times more polluted than the outdoor air. The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) introduced its Children and Schools standard in 2005. This standard takes into account the special sensitivities of children- the fact that they breathe faster and actually inhale a larger dose of pollutants per body weight than adults. The standard requires that all products be tested for thousands of chemicals and that they meet stringent health-based criteria for all volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including formaldehyde and phthalates. Products have been tested and evaluated according to the California DHS requirements, but they have been evaluated for a more expanded list of potential pollutants. For example, those products that may emit small particles such as office machines have to meet additional criteria. Products carrying the GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certified mark ensure architects, specifiers, designers and consumers that they have been rigorously tested and verified to emit the fewest possible pollutants into the air we breathe.

This GREENGUARD Children and Schools(SM) product emissions standard is one of the most stringent in the world, and the good news is that more than 110,000 products are now certified. Products are easy to find and are specified in a number of green building standards including the US Green Building Council’s LEED(R) program and Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). A full list of certified products, with printable certificates, can be found at http://www.greenguard.org/Default.aspx?tabid=135.

GEI is proud to announce that Fleetwood is the first manufacturer to attain GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certification for children's play furniture. With the growth in day care centers and early childhood education, the availability of certified products is instrumental in protecting the air children breathe on a daily basis. With a proven correlation between asthma and poor indoor air quality, this certification comes just in time as asthma rates in children under the age of 5 have increased 160% in the past decade.

Reaching to the higher educational environments, KLN Steel Products joins KI in providing extensive product lines of GREENGUARD certified dormitory furniture. Fleetwood and KLN join a long list of manufacturers who have related GREENGUARD Certified products for juvenile and educational environments including Group Lacasse, Q Collection Junior, Artco-Bell, KI, Palmer Hamilton, Claridge, Draper, Da­-Lite, Sico America, Smith System, Virco, Lifekind, Naturepedic, Organic Mattresses, VS America and Lenovo.  

For more complete information on IAQ and its impact on Children's health, visit our link below for up to date statistics, and a full research paper describing these important public health concerns. Children's Health and IAQ

GEI's 5th Annual Pub Night At Greenbuild

Meet us at Greenbuild in Boston. We will be hosting our 5th annual Pub Night this year at Ned Devines and Parris at historic Faneuil Hall. Be sure to mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 19th 7-11PM. Come for dancing, door prizes and hors d'oeuvres amidst a mix of 80's and 90's tunes and perhaps an Irish jig or two. Come get the luck of the Irish with the who's who at Greenbuild Boston. If you can't make it out for Pub Night please stop by our booths during the show, numbers 1428 & 1351.

GEI Pub Night 2008 Sponsors

Join the Best at Greenbuild

Stop by and visit the manufacturers exhibiting their GREENGUARD certified products.

GREENGUARD News

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute often serves as a resource for publications and media outlets, providing information on various topics that relate to product emissions and indoor air quality. The following lists recent articles and features.

American Laundry News
It’s Everywhere, but What Exactly Does That Buzzword ‘Green’ Mean?

Interior Design
Watch Your VOC's

artdaily.org
Yale University Has Newly Completed Arts Complex Designed by Charles Gwathmey

MarketWatch.com
Lerner Moves Headquarters to 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard

The Niagra Falls Review
Are Your Kitchen Counters "Hot Zones" for E. Coli?

Calgary Herald
Eco-friendly fabrics tough to spot

To read these and past articles, visit the Press Room/Articles under the 'About GEI' tab on the GEI website. Read More...

Upcoming Events

In the next few months, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) will participate in several events.

NSSEA (Speaking)
November 13 - 14, 2008
Baltimore, MD

Build Boston (Speaking)
November 18 - 20, 2008
Boston, MA

Greenbuild Expo 2008 (Speaking and Exhibiting)
November 19 - 21, 2008
Boston, MA

For more information, please visit the Events tab listed under 'About GEI' and click on 2008 Calendar.

Continuing Education

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is proud to be a recognized USGBC Education Provider, and provides numerous Continuing Education Courses related to indoor air quality principles, including the following:

Healthy Indoor Air by Design
Credits: AIA (1LU), IDCEC (0.1 CEU), CSI (1-ECH), USGBC

This basic level course is designed to communicate the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) and empower architects, designers and specifiers to employee strategies to improve the IAQ in the spaces they are creating. The course includes background on the impact of indoor air pollution on human health and economics. Participants will learn to identify sources of indoor air pollutants, illustrated by several case studies that highlight the effects of controlling, versus not controlling, IAQ at the design phase of building construction. Emphasis also will be placed on how participants can incorporate good IAQ principles into sustainable building projects.

Clearing the Air on IAQ: Making Sense of IAQ Standards and IEQ Requirements
Credits: AIA (1LU), IDCEC (0.1 CEU), CSI (1-ECH)

This intermediate level educational program will help specifying professionals navigate the current state of IAQ criteria in the U.S., as it relates to product specification and green building programs. At the end of this one-hour program, participants will understand the current issues and solutions associated with indoor air quality. They will be able to differentiate between different product standards and certification programs in the U.S. marketplace. From an IEQ perspective, attendees will gain the knowledge they need to effectively navigate green building guidelines and programs.

Building Blocks for Healthy Indoor Air
Credits: AIA (1LU), IDCEC (0.1CEU), USGBC

This basic level educational program will help designers creating educational spaces, specifically daycare and K-12 schools, achieve the best indoor air quality for those environments as it is fundamental to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of children. At the end of this one-hour program, participants will understand the health risks and sources of indoor air pollution in daycare and K-12 facilities. They will discover strategies for creating educational environments with healthy indoor air quality, and identify resources for improving and maintaining indoor air quality.

Design to Prevent the Damaging Effects of Mold
Credits: AIA (1LU), CSI (1-ECH)

This basic level course outlines the role of the architect in preventing mold in their projects. The participants will gain understanding of the impact mold has on building integrity and materials; quantify the financial impact of mold; and discuss its effects on human health. The course will explore the sources of moisture intrusion, and will detail preventive strategies to minimize moisture intrusion throughout the design, construction, and operations and maintenance of a building.

GEI is taking its Health, Safety and Human Welfare courses on the road to architecture and design firms, industry meetings, campuses and manufacturer showrooms across the country. If your firm or group is interested in learning more about these courses, please send a request to education@greenguard.org.