December 6, 2004—The recently released Version 2.0 of the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) features GREENGUARD Certification as a requirement for low emitting wall covering, ceiling tile, furniture and medical furnishings. Additionally, the GGHC recommends using GREENGUARD
Certified interior adhesives, sealants, and paints. GGHC is the health care sector’s first quantifiable sustainable design toolkit integrating enhanced environmental and health principles and practices into the planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance of their facilities.
“Patients in healthcare facilities are especially susceptible to the effects of poor indoor air quality,” comments Joseph Jarvis, M.D., M.S.P.H., Associate Professor of Community Medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. “Preventing indoor pollution reduces the chances of aggravating pre-existing conditions which can interfere with diagnosis and treatment.”
Good indoor air quality is essential in healthcare facilities due to increased sensitivity to pollutants in the air. Many interior products and materials release odorous or potentially irritating contaminants into the indoor environment, which can have serious effects on the occupants’ health and quality of life. GREENGUARD Certified Products must pass a series of rigorous emissions tests and undergo quarterly monitoring tests to ensure their low emitting status. Specifying and building professionals use GREENGUARD Certified Products to create superior interior environments without added cost or effort.
The Green Guide, a voluntary self-certifying system, is the product of a two-year, multi-stakeholder development and review process, convened by the Austin, Texas-based Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems. Sponsors include the New York State Energy and Research Authority, Merck Family Fund, and Hospitals for Healthy Environment (H2E), a joint project of American Hospital Association, American Nurses Association, Health Care Without Harm and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information, contact the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute.
