Other Ratings & Standards

Photo: Elekhh. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

Standards and rating systems have been at the heart of the green building movement at least since U.S. energy standards for buildings (like ASHRAE 90.1) started ratcheting up following the 1970s energy crisis.

If you care about health and sustainability, you can now rely on dozens of ratings and standards for buildings as well as things in and around them, including:

  • Lab protocols for chemical emissions from finishes and furniture

  • Testing methods for durability of paints, textiles, and many other products

  • Standards for energy use, ventilation, thermal comfort, and more

  • Rating systems for schools, healthcare facilities, parking garages, landscapes, and healthy spaces

Other Ratings & Standards

Deep Dives

Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.

Quick Takes

Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.

    Loading...

  • What These Forestry Labels Really Mean

    Infographic

    You’ve seen FSC and SFI labels on wood products. Most often, you’ve seen no label at all. Here’s a green guide to each one.

  • Adaptive Thermal Comfort

    Explainer

    Adaptive thermal comfort broadens our understanding of the comfort zone by accounting for human behavior and perception, and factors like amount of clothing and air movement.

  • Standards for Standards: ISO and ANSI

    Explainer

    ISO is an international standard-setting body that offers accreditation to certifying organizations and approves standards that meet certain criteria.

  • Imperfect Consensus in Green Building Standards

    Explainer

    Business rivals find common ground through ANSI, ISO, and other frameworks-but the process isn't perfect.

Product Guidance

Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.

In The News

We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.

Perspective

Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.

Learning Resources

Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.

Just For Fun

Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...