Having independent 3rd party certification for environmental attributes is an important feature of product specifications. There are a handful of companies that provide this level of certification, one of which is the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. Founded in 2001, GREENGUARD was established as a true third-party product certification program based on proven emissions standards for low-emitting products related to healthy indoor air quality.

In 2005, GEI introduced the GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM standard, which evaluates products using the most rigorous product emissions criteria to date.  Unlike the FloorScore program for hard surfaces which only tests for approximately 250 chemical emissions, GREENGUARD for Children & Schools tests for almost 10,000 different chemicals that could cause potential sensitivities to children in schools (click here for more information). Achieving this level of certification is a challenge for manufacturers, but in addition to the reward of being a safer product for children’s health, the certification is also recognized by the US Green Building Council’s LEED™ 2009 rating system.  Studies about student and teacher performance, as well as health and safety, are also benefits according to a FacilitiesNet article featured in the weekly e-news blast from ASID Eye on Design.    

SpecCeramics would like to congratulate our partners Stonepeak and Trend for their accomplishments with this high level of certification. For other innovative and environmentally responsible product information and technologies related to the Ceramic Tile industry, please visit our website EcoSpecTile.