The Green Guide to Specification (PDF)

How can you tell if the materials and components you are specifyinghave a low environmental impact? A full life-cycle assessment is acomplex, time-consuming and expensive process; the environmentalratings summarised in this Guide provide a quick and easy way fordesigners and specifiers to assess their options.

The relative environmental performance of over 250 materials andcomponents have been assessed in this guide, using carefullyresearched, quantitative data derived from the BRE EnvironmentalDatabase. A wide range of alternative specifications are providedfor:

· walls
· floor systems
· floor finishes
· roofs
· windows
· doors
· ceilings
· paints
· insulation
· landscaping.

The performance of each specification is measured against arange of environmental impacts including:

· climate change
· toxicity
· fossil fuel and ozone depletion
· levels of emissions and pollutants
· mineral and water extraction.

Environmental performance is indicated by a simple to use A-B-Crating system. To further aid specifiers, guidance on capitalcoasts, typical replacement intervals and information on recyclingis also provided for each material and component.

An important part of BREEAM, the BRE's widely accepted scheme toimprove the environmental performance of buildings, The GreenGuide to Specification is an essential tool for architects,surveyors, building managers and property owners seeking to reducethe environmental impacts of building materials through informedchoice.