The ideal building material would have no negative environmental impacts, and it might even have positive environmental impacts, including air, land, and water purification. Such a material would be infinitely reusable or recyclable.¹ “Perfect” materials are rare, but in practice there are a growing array of green materials that reduce or eliminate negative impacts on people and the environment. As manufacturers, building professionals, and owners constantly strive for better buildings, we encourage others in the supply chain to join us in pursuit of a better world.

Incorporating green products into a project does not imply sacrifice in performance, or design, and does not necessarily entail higher cost. While one can spend considerably more for green materials, careful shoppers will find cost-competitive environmentally preferable options. For example, a joint US EPA/Army study of more than 2200 paints found environmentally preferable options to cost an average of $1.76 less per gallon.²

This brochure/website suggests many specific considerations in selecting a wide array of construction materials, based upon two basic questions:

• Is the material renewable and resource efficient in its manufacture, installation, use, and removal?
• Does the material support the health and well being of occupants, construction personnel, the public, and the surrounding environment?

The most critical question is left to you:

Research is required to evaluate alternatives and select the best material for a project. Material selection ideally considers the impacts of a product throughout its life cycle, from raw material, to use, to reuse, recycling, or disposal. Areas of impact to consider at each stage in the life cycle of a material include:

• Resources: Air and Water Pollution, Hazardous and Solid Waste
• Energy required for:
  • Extraction, Manufacturing, and Transport
  • Performance in Use
  • Durability
• Water: Efficiency in Manufacture and Use
• Health:
  • Effect on Indoor Air Quality
  • Exposure of Occupant, Manufacturer, or Installer to Harmful Substances
  • Moisture and Mold Resistance
  • Maintenance

Choosing items with several attributes cited in this checklist will significantly reduce the impacts of material selection and use. The importance of each consideration varies with the environmental goals of a project.

Green Materials Are:

This website offers simple suggestions to help select greener options when using a wide array of common materials, and provides references to key resources for more detailed information. For materials outside the scope of this website, the checklist above can help organize your analysis.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the systematic evaluation of the environmental impacts of every stage in the life of a material, from extraction or harvest to use to recycling or disposal. LCA is information-intensive, and the most time and cost-effective way to capture the benefits of the life cycle perspective is the use of LCA software, such as the free BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) software package available for free download from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The financial cousin of life cycle assessment is life cycle costing (LCC), the systematic evaluation of cost implications of a material, a design decision, or a whole building. LCC tools can help calculate payback, cash flow, present value, internal rate of return, and other financial measures. Such tools are helpful in understanding how a modest up-front cost for environmentally preferable materials or design features can be a very sound investment. Free LCC tools available online include:

eVALUator
from Energy Design Resources

BLCC
developed by the Federal Energy Management Program

Third party testing and certification provides an independent analysis of manufacturers' environmental performance claims, based upon established standards, much as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) evaluates electrical product safety. Acting on a third party analysis is far more convenient than Life Cycle Analysis, but care should be taken to evaluate the independence, credibility, and testing protocols of third party certifications. See the references below for a partial list of third party certifiers.