Green Seal, an independent nonprofit certifier of sustainable products and services, has introduced a revised version of its GS-11 Standard.
The updated standard covers most types of architectural coatings. This new edition of GS-11 includes floor coatings, concrete and masonry sealers, and fire resistive coatings, in addition to the paints, primers, anti-corrosive coatings, and reflective coatings previously covered. The new Green Seal standard offers greater flexibility for the assessment of VOCs and aligns with VOC limits set by the current California Air Resources Board. The standard also addresses:
- Stains and finishes for wood and metal, previously covered by the GS-47 Standard
- Updates for clarity on certain criteria for chemical ingredients, reflecting the current market for leadership products
With the rapid advances in formulation technology Green Seal redesigned GS-11 to promote the creation of safer coatings by restricting a comprehensive list of harmful chemicals, including heavy metals, certain phthalates, formaldehyde donors, carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, hazardous air pollutants, and ozone depleting compounds. Exceptions are made for titanium dioxide, carbon black, crystalline silica, and PCBTF because they are necessary for acceptable performance and feasible alternatives are currently lacking.
Related Stories
| Sep 21, 2010
New BOMA-Kingsley Report Shows Compression in Utilities and Total Operating Expenses
A new report from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International and Kingsley Associates shows that property professionals are trimming building operating expenses to stay competitive in today’s challenging marketplace. The report, which analyzes data from BOMA International’s 2010 Experience Exchange Report® (EER), revealed a $0.09 (1.1 percent) decrease in total operating expenses for U.S. private-sector buildings during 2009.
| Sep 21, 2010
Forecast: Existing buildings to earn 50% of green building certifications
A new report from Pike Research forecasts that by 2020, nearly half the green building certifications will be for existing buildings—accounting for 25 billion sf. The study, “Green Building Certification Programs,” analyzed current market and regulatory conditions related to green building certification programs, and found that green building remain robust during the recession and that certifications for existing buildings are an increasing area of focus.
| Sep 16, 2010
Gehry’s Santa Monica Place gets a wave of changes
Omniplan, in association with Jerde Partnership, created an updated design for Santa Monica Place, a shopping mall designed by Frank Gehry in 1980.
| Aug 11, 2010
AIA Course: Building with concrete – Design and construction techniques
Concrete maintains a special reputation for strength, durability, flexibility, and sustainability. These associations and a host of other factors have made it one of the most widely used building materials globally in just one century. Take this free AIA/CES course from Building Design+Construction and earn 1.0 AIA learning unit.
