Product Certifications and Labeling Programs

Claims made by manufacturers and distributors for green products listed in this Directory can be of three different types:

First Party– These are self-declared claims that are not independently tested or verified. First party  is the most common but weakest type of certification.

Second Party– Theses are claims that are verified by a trade association or independent testing agency that a product meets the standards set by the association. Second party certification is usually more credible than first party but there is often a potential conflict of interest.

Third Party– Third part certification is when a completely independent agency tests a product and awards certification if certain requirements are met. This is the most robust form of certification, especially when the certifier is accredited by an organization such as the Standards Council of Council of Canada (SCC), American National Institute of Standards (ANSI), etc.

Most green building product certification programs fall into one of four categories. Here are the categories along with links to some of the more common programs under each:

  1. Forestry
  2. Indoor Air Quality
  3. Energy and Water
  4. Multiple Attribute