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comment(Mis)Understanding Green Products
A dizzying array of green-product certification protocols are overwhelming the building industry—even staunch advocates see a tough road ahead for architects
Instructions
- Read the article "(Mis)Understanding Green Products"
- Complete the questions below, then fill in your answers .
- Fill out and submit the AIA/CES education reporting form in the magazine, securely online, or print the form to receive one AIA learning unit.
Questions:
Program Code: 117EDIT1
LU: 1
1. The American Society for Testing and Materials does which for standards?
a. enforces standards
b. certifies products against standards
c. ensures standards are followed
d. ensures standards are published according to acceptable guidelines
2. Inserting a reference to ASTM E2129 into your specifications results in which?
a. ensures the result will be a LEED-certified project
b. forces manufacturers of products for your project to comply with a
standard set of submittal criteria
c. answers the question, “Is your product green?”
d. certifies products against standards
3. The Energy Star program is all except which of the following?
a. an energy efficiency standard
b. a voluntary program
c. based on existing standards
d. a guarantee that a product meets energy-efficiency criteria
4. Creating a product label based on other standards explains what
phenomenon?
a. the creation of volunteer industry organizations
b. the evolving nature of the green-products market
c. the rash of new green product labels in the market
d. the creation of multi-attribute product-certification labels
5. A proprietary certification program that focuses on the life-cycle of a
product is known as which?
a. Environmentally Preferable Products
b. Energy Star
c. Cradle to Cradle
d. Cradle to Grave
6. This company's Mirra chair was its first product certified as Cradle to Cradle?
a. Herman Miller
b. Haworth
c. Steelcase
d. MBDC
7. Architects often distrust first-party certification of a product because of which?
a. an industry organization participated in the formation of the standard
b. the product manufacturer established the standard
c. an independent organization created the standard
d. the state of California created the standard
8. An example of a non-industry-developed, independent certification program is which of the following?
a. Carpet & Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus
b. Forest Stewardship Council
c. Sustainable Forestry Initiative
d. SC Johnson’s Greenlist
9. Which of the following tracks carbon emissions along the supply chain of a product, accounts for them as credits, and passes them to the end user?
a. first-party certification
b. Cradle to Cradle
c. Planet Positive certification
d. Scientific Certification Systems
10. Building envelopes impact which percent of the energy use in the total
life-cycle of any building?
a. 85 percent
b. 60 percent
c. 45 percent
d. 15 percent
