Recognised product certification schemes and standards

Skyring Terrace, QLD, Charter Hall 5 star Green Star - Office As Built v3

Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute 

The Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute (AFRDI), Sustainability Standard for Commercial Furniture - AFRDI Standard 150, is applicable to commercial furniture and contributes to the following Green Star credits:

 Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors) Legacy rating tool credits
Indoor Pollutants
Sustainable Products
Furniture
Assemblies
Volatile Organic Compounds
Formaldehyde

Certification levels

  • AFRDI Green Tick Level C/Silver - Level B GBCA recognition
  • AFRDI Green Tick Level B/Gold - Level A GBCA recognition
  • AFRDI Green Tick Level A/Platinum - Level A GBCA recognition


VOC

Fitout items certified to the AFRDI Standard 150 (at all levels) are deemed to satisfy the requirements of the 'VOC' or 'Reduced Exposure to Pollutants' credits in legacy Green Star rating tools.

This standard also satisfies the requirements for the ‘Paints, Adhesives, Sealants and Carpets’ criteria in the ‘Indoor Pollutants’ credit in Green Star – Design & As Built and Green Star – Interiors.
 
Formaldehyde

Fitout items containing engineered wood products certified to recognised AFRDI Standard 150 (at all levels) are deemed to satisfy the requirements of the 'Formaldehyde Minimisation' or 'Reduced Exposure to Pollutants' credits in Green Star legacy rating tools.
This standard also satisfies the requirements for the ‘Engineered Wood Products’ criteria in the ‘Indoor Pollutants’ credit in Green Star – Design & As Built and Green Star – Interiors.


Certification updates

The June 2011 and September 2011 versions of the standard were superseded in March 2012. Products certified to the previous versions of the standard will continue to be rewarded until the expiry date of the certificate.

Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability

The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS) Sustainable Materials Rating Technology (SMaRT) certification is applicable to the following Green Star credits:

 Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors) Legacy rating tool credits
Indoor Pollutants

Furniture
Flooring
Assemblies
Volatile Organic Compounds
Formaldehyde Minimisation
Materials Calculators

Certification levels

Flooring, Furniture and Assemblies

SMaRT 4.0 Standards are recognised by the GBCA as follows

  • SMaRT 4.0 Sustainable Platinum - Level A recognition
  • SMaRT 4.0 Sustainable Gold - Level A recognition

* SMaRT 4.0 Sustainable Silver and Sustainable certification levels are excluded from this recognition.

Formaldehyde
Fitout items containing engineered wood products certified to SMaRT 4.0 Sustainable Platinum and Sustainable Gold are deemed to satisfy the requirements of the 'Formaldehyde Minimisation' or 'Reduced Exposure to Pollutants' credits in Green Star legacy rating tools as well as the ‘Indoor Pollutants’ credit in Green Star – Design & As Built and Green Star – Interiors.

Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA)

Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certification is applicable to furniture, flooring, assemblies, paints and cleaning products and contributes to the following Green Star credits:

 

Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors)Legacy rating tools credits
Indoor Pollutants
Sustainable Products*
Furniture
Flooring
Assemblies
Material Calculators
Volatile Organic Compounds
Formaldehyde Minimisation
Reduced Exposure to Pollutants
Green Cleaning

Certification levels 

GECA Standards are recognised by the GBCA as follows

  • GECA BIMv2.0-2018  - 'Building Insulation Materials' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA CCCPv1.0i-2017 - 'Cement, Concrete and Concrete Products' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA SSPv1.0-2019 - 'Steel and Steel Products' - Level A GBCA recognition
  • GECA RPv1.0i-2015 - 'Recycled Products' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA SPSv2.0-2020 - 'Sustainable Products and Services (Life Cycle Assessment)' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA FFFMv3.0-2017  'Furniture, Fittings, Foam & Mattresses' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA FFFMv3.1-2017 'Furniture, Fittings, Foam & Mattresses' - Level A GBCA recognition
  • GECA FFv3.1-2017 'Furniture and Fittings' - Level B GBCA recognition 
  • GECA FFM v3.0-2017 - 'Furniture Fittings and Mattresses' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA FF v3.0-2017 - 'Furniture and Fittings' - Level B GBCA recognition 
  • GECA 28-2010 v2.1 - 'Furniture Fittings and Foam' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA 50-2011 v2 - 'Carpets' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA 25-2011 v2 - 'Floor Coverings' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA 04-2011 v2 - 'Panel Boards' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA 40-2008 v1.1 - 'Hard Surfacing' - Level A GBCA recognition 
  • GECA 28-2006 Modified 2010 v2 - 'Furniture and Fittings' - Level B GBCA recognition

VOC

The following GECA Standards are deemed to satisfy the requirements for the Indoor Pollutants credit for Green Star - Design & As Built, Green Star - Interiors, Green Star - Performance.

  • GECA AFS v4.0-2014 Adhesives, Fillers and Sealant
  • GECA PC v2.2i (2012) Paints and Coatings

Cleaning Products

The following GECA Standards are deemed to satisfy the requirements for the Green Cleaning credit for Green Star - Performance. 

  • GECA CPv2.2-2012

Other Claims

GECA Furniture & Fittings Standard FFv3.-2017 and GECA Furniture, Fittings and Mattresses Standard FFMv3.0-2017 certification is applicable to furniture, flooring and assemblies and contributes to the following Green Star credit: Innovation: 30E Global Sustainability - LEED credit: Social Equity within the Supply Chain.

Environmental Choice New Zealand (ECNZ) 

Environmental Choice New Zealand (ECNZ) certification is administered by the New Zealand Ecolabelling Trust.

Flooring, furniture, and assemblies

Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors)Legacy rating tools credits
Indoor Pollutants
Sustainable Products*
Furniture
Flooring
Assemblies
Material Calculators


Formaldehyde

Fitout items containing engineered wood products certified to EC-32-17 Furniture, Fittings and Floorings are deemed to meet the benchmarks of the following credits:

Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors) Legacy rating tools credits
13.2 Engineered Wood ProductsFormaldehyde Minimisation
Reduced Exposure to Pollutants


Paints

Fitout items certified to EC-07-18 Paints are deemed to meet the benchmarks of the following credits:

Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors)Legacy rating tools credits
Indoor Pollutants
Sustainable Products*
Volatile Organic Compounds


Building Insulants

Fitout items certified to EC-25-17 Building Insulants are deemed to meet the benchmarks of the following credits:

Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors)Legacy rating tools credits
Indoor Pollutants
Sustainable Products*
Volatile Organic Compounds

Pre-painted and resin-coated steel products

Fitout items certified to EC-57-16 Pre-painted and resin-coated steel products are deemed to meet the benchmarks of the following credits 

Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors) Legacy rating tools credits
Indoor Pollutants 
Sustainable Products* 
Volatile Organic Compounds


*Not all ECNZ product standards are eligible to achieve points under the Sustainable Products credit. Only the product standards listed above are recognised under Green Star.

Certification Levels

ECNZ Standards recognised by the GBCA to contribute to Green Star credits are:

  • EC-32-17 - 'Furniture, Fittings and Flooring' - Level A GBCA recognition
    • Including EC-32-17 Supplementary Modules as relevant
  • EC-07-18 - 'Paints' - Level A GBCA recognition
  • EC-25-17 - 'Building Insulants' - Level A GBCA recognition
  • EC-57-16 - Pre-painted and Resin-coated Steel Products - Level A GBCA recognition

Global GreenTag’s GreenRate

Global GreenTag’s GreenRate certification assesses and certifies products which are rewarded under the following Green Star credits:


New Generation rating tool credits*Legacy rating tool credits
Indoor Pollutants
Sustainable Products
Cleaning Products
Furniture
Flooring
Assemblies
Material Calculators
Volatile Organic Compounds
Formaldehyde Minimisation
Reduced Exposure to Pollutants
Green Cleaning

 * This refers to the Green Star – Design & As Built, Green Star – Interiors and Green Star – Performance rating tools.

Certification Levels

The GreenTag GreenRate standard awards three levels of certification, which are recognised by the GBCA as follows^:

  • GreenRate v4.0 Level A -    Level A GBCA recognition
  • GreenRate v4.0 Level B -    Level B GBCA recognition
  • GreenRate v4.0 Level C -    Level C GBCA recognition

^ The LCARate component of GreenTag is excluded from this recognition.

^ The GreenTag GreenRate licence and associated marketing information includes a reference to category-specific supplementary standards where applicable. This provides the means to determine if a certified product is covered by the GBCA recognition of the GreenRate standard.

Volatile Organic Compounds

  • Carpets certified to the ‘GreenTag GreenRate – Carpets and Floor Coverings Supplementary Standard’ (7.6) at Level A or Level B (Level C does not satisfy the requirements).
  • Paints certified to the ‘GreenTag GreenRate – Paints and Coatings Supplementary Standard’ (7.9).
  • Adhesives and sealants certified to the ‘GreenTag GreenRate – Adhesives and Sealants Supplementary Standard’ (7.8).

Formaldehyde

Engineered wood products certified to GreenTag GreenRate standards (at all levels) are deemed to satisfy the requirements of the ‘Indoor Pollutants’ credit in Green Star – Design & As Built and Green Star – Interiors, or the'Formaldehyde Minimisation' or 'Reduced Exposure to Pollutants' credits in Legacy rating tools.

Cleaning products certified to Global GreenTag Cleaning Products Standard Version R1.0 are deemed to satisfy the 'Green Cleaning' credit in Green Star – Performance.

The GreenTag GreenRate v4.0 standard may also be used to contribute to other Green Star initiatives. This includes the:

  • ‘Responsible Building Materials’ credit inGreen Star – Design & As Built and Green Star – Interiors, or the ‘PVC’ credit in Legacy rating tools. Global GreenTag are able to conduct an audit in line with the GBCA’s ‘Best Practice Guidelines for PVC’.
  • Local Procurement Innovation Challenge, where product certification can be used to demonstrate compliance. Please note that the scope of the Innovation Challenge is all products and materials used in the project, not just those with product certifications.

 
Certification updates

The below list of previously recognised GreenTag GreenRate standards have been superseded by newer versions. Products certified to these standards will continue to be rewarded until the expiry date of the certification. List of recognised standards:

  • GreenTag GreenRate v3.2
  • GreenTag GreenRate v3.1
  • GreenTag GreenRate v2.4

Carpet Institute of Australia - Environmental Certification Scheme

The Carpet Institute of Australia, Environmental Certification Scheme (ECS) certification is applicable to carpets and contributes to the following Green Star credits:

Current Green Star credits (Design & As Built and Interiors)Legacy Green Star credits
Indoor PollutantsFlooring
Volatile Organic Compounds 
Reduced Exposure to Pollutants

Certification levels

  • ECS v1.2 Level 1 - Not recognised
  • ECS v1.2 Level 2 - Level C GBCA recognition
  • ECS v1.2 Level 3 - Level B GBCA recognition
  • ECS v1.2 Level 4 (two options) - Level A GBCA recognition.

VOC

Carpets certified to ECS levels 2, 3 and 4 are deemed to satisfy the requirements of the 'VOC' or 'Reduced Exposure to Pollutants' credits in legacy Green Star rating tools as well as the ‘Indoor Pollutants’ credit in Green Star – Design & As Built and Green Star – Interiors.


Certification updates

The previously recognised ECS v 1.1 standard has been superseded by ECS v1.2. Products certified to ECS v1.1 will continue to be rewarded until the expiry date of the certification.