
- HOME
- LIBRARY
- RESEARCH GUIDES
- SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS + FURNISHINGS
RESEARCH GUIDE: SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS + FURNISHINGS
- BuildingGreen Collections on Designer Pages PRO*
- Cradle to Cradle: Find Certified Products
- Origin Materials Search
- SCS Global Services Certified Green Products Guide
- SPOT: The Source for Product Sustainability Information | UL
*Create a profile with your DISD email address for full access
There are a variety of labeling and certification options for sustainable materials, products, furnishings, fixtures and equipment.
- See the Sustainable Product Certifications Research Guide to find products with a specific certification.
In the Library
Eco Design : The Sourcebook
by Alastair Fuad-Luke
Showcases hundreds of recycled, recyclable, renewable, and energy-efficient products
Interior Design Magazine
New products are featured throughout each issue, and Spring and Fall Market Tabloids focus exclusively on products and materials for interiors
Interiors + Sources
Focuses on commercial products, materials and projects
Online
ASID Interior Design Product Finder
Features products for commercial and residential projects, with the option to search vendors by location
BuildingGreen Collections on Designer Pages PRO
Search for products recommended by BuildingGreen, and create your own collections to save your favorites
NOTE: For full access, make sure to use your DISD email address when you create your BuildingGreen and Designer Pages profile
Certified Green Products Guide | SCS Global Services
Search for products and materials that have an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) or a FloorScore, Indoor Advantage, level, or Green Squared certification
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute: Find Certified Products
Search for products and materials that are Cradle to Cradle Certified
Origin Materials Search
Search for products and materials that have ClearChem Self-Declaration, Declare label Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) or Health Product Declaration (HPD), or are certified under Cradle to Cradle, Declare, Energy Star, FloorScore®, Green Label Plus, GreenCircle, level®, WaterSense, or other standards
SPOT: The Source for Product Sustainability Information | UL
Includes products certified by UL to meet one or more standard for sustainability, including LEED, GREENGUARD, VOC emissions, water efficiency, recycled content, Environmental Product Declarations, and more
Sustainable Furnishings Council
Find residential furnishings from companies that have committed to improving the sustainability of their products, practices and operations
Sustainable Minds Transparency Catalog
Find products with transparency disclosures from Cradle to Cradle, Declare, Health Product Declaration (HPD), level, and other material ingredient disclosure programs
There are many factors to consider when evaluating products. The following resources will help guide you through the process and avoid greenwashing. Another smart strategy is to choose materials and products that have been independently verified to meet certain sustainability requirements.
What Makes a Product Green? | BuildingGreen
This in-depth article from BuildingGreen provides an excellent summary of the factors to consider when evaluating products
In the Library
Green Building Materials : A Guide to Product Selection and Specification
by Ross Spiegel and Dru Meadows
Covers labels, standards, certifications, selection and specification of materials
Interior Design Materials and Specifications
by Lisa Godsey
Examines the use of paints, wall and floor coverings, textiles, wood, plastic, glass, metals, tile, brick, stone, concrete, laminates, and other materials in interior design, with information about how to evaluate, select and specify materials to meet code, sustainability, human comfort, and cost requirements
Materials and Components of Interior Architecture
by J. Rosemary Riggs
Examines the products and materials used for walls, floors, ceilings, and cabinets, with special attention to environmental concerns, kitchens and bathrooms
Sustainable Design for Interior Environments
by Susan M. Winchip
Covers all aspects of sustainable design for commercial and residential interiors, including building materials, finishes and furnishings
Sustainable Materials, Processes and Production
by Rob Thompson and Martin Thompson
Explains the environmental impact of a variety of materials, manufacturing processes, and product lifecycles, and provides guidance on how to select products and materials for sustainable projects
Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open
by Julian M. Allwood and Jonathan M. Cullen
Advocates changes throughout the lifecycle of materials to use less energy, use less material, recycle more material, generate less waste, and selecting more sustainable materials
Online
The 8 Shades of Greenwash | BuildingGreen
Learn the telltale signs of questionable claims
Energy Efficient Lighting | Whole Building Design Guide
Explains different types of energy efficient light fixtures and how to incorporate them into building design, with information about relevant codes and standards as well as links to sites with further information
Evaluating and Selecting Green Products | Whole Building Design Guide
Describes the process of and tools for selecting green building materials and products, with information about relevant codes and standards as well as links to sites with further information
Green Products | BuildingGreen
Find guides to more than 100 product categories, to help you learn what to look for when selecting green products that avoid negative health impacts, and find BuildingGreen’s recommended products on their partner website Designer Pages
NOTE: For full access, make sure to use your DISD email address when you create your BuildingGreen and Designer Pages profile
The International EPD System: Environmental Product Declarations
EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) detail the life-cycle environmental impact of a product in a standard way that allows you to compare the eco-friendliness of products and materials. Search their database to find products and materials that have EPDs.
How to Read an EPD: 7 Tips from the Field (Video) | BuildingGreen
In this 8-minute video, Arup engineer Frances Yang explains how to get what you need from environmental product declarations (EPDs).
Health Product Declaration Collaborative
HPDs (Health Product Declarations) detail the material contents and potential health hazards of building products in a standard way that allows you to compare the eco-friendliness of products and materials. The HPD Collaborative provides the standard format and instructions to companies; each individual vendor is responsible for completing and publishing HPDs for their products. Search their database to find products and materials that have HPDs.
JUST Organizations
The JUST platform allows organizations to provide “nutrition labels” for social justice and equity indicators, and many companies that make building and interior products and materials have done so.
Material Transparency | BuildingGreen
Features tips, insights, and analysis on transparency regarding issues such as embodied carbon, toxic ingredients or byproducts, and social responsibility in the supply chain
Pilkington Calculators
Provides online tools can help you choose the best glass products for your project, including a Sun Management Calculator and a Thermal Stress Calculator
Product and Building Materials Red List | Green Building Alliance
Provides a list of chemicals and materials known to harm human health, and provides alternatives to those materials
Quartz
Provides information about composition, health hazards and environmental impacts for over 100 common building materials
Sustainable Furniture Specification Guide
Details items to consider when selecting furniture, including VOC levels, recycled or salvaged content, recyclability, supply chain and manufacturing process, certifications and ratings, cost, and more
What is greenwashing?
TerraChoice President Scott McDougall explains the term “greenwashing”
Windows and Glazing | Whole Building Design Guide
Discusses energy-efficient design strategies for windows and glazing, with information about relevant codes and standards as well as links to sites with further information
In the Library
Journal of Green Building
Features case studies, research articles, and the latest news about sustainable methods and materials
Online
BuildingGreen
Provides information about and detailed guides to green building policy, the design and construction process, location and site, water management, energy efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality
Environmental Health Perspectives
Provides free peer-reviewed articles covering research and news related to the interrelationships between the environment (both natural and built) and human health
- LIBRARY HOURS
- DI EMAIL
- VIA ePORTFOLIOS
- BOOKLIST
- DI LIBRARY CATALOG
- ARTICLES ON PROQUEST
- EBOOKS ON PROQUEST
-
BUILDINGGREEN
Articles and product info
-
KRAVET’S WEBSITE
Fabrics, wallcoverings and more)
-
MEDLINE PLUS
Health and medical information
- EMAIL THE LIBRARY
Please fill out as much information as you can to recommend a resource. If you are recommending a book, feel free to include an Amazon or Google Books link.