In its 2010 “Sins of Greenwashing” report, environmental marketing company TerraChoice found some form of green washing in more than 95% of consumer products labeled as “green”. The construction sector by itself fared only slightly better with green washing evident in close to 94% of eco-marketed products.
The EPA and DOE recently proposed an expansion of the Energy Star Qualified Products program with a “top tier” designation for products that surpass the more common levels of energy efficiency within their categories.
BuildingGreen and the Healthy Building Network, two organizations providing independent green product research, have announced a partnership to link their product evaluation and selection tools – the GreenSpec Directory and the Pharos Project.
The DOE announced the release of Home Energy Score, a pilot program that grades houses based on their energy performance versus others in the region and provides customized recommendations for energy cost reduction. The DOE also released the Workforce Guidelines for Home Energy Upgrades, designed to develop and expand contractors’ skills while laying a foundation for a more robust national certification and training program.
Architecture billings rose in December, suggesting growth is returning to the industry. The American Institute of Architects reported that the December architecture billings index edged up two points in December to 54.2. “This is more promising news that the design and construction industry is continuing to move toward a recovery,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker