These products are environmentally attractive because they need to be replaced less frequently or their maintenance has very low impact, both of which can reduce costs as well as environmental impact.
Robust answers on typical service life of products can be hard to come by, however. In GreenSpec we reserve this criterion for products where the material is clearly more durable than alternatives, such as an exceptionally traffic-resistant polyurethane floor finish. We refer to standardized tests for durability when they are available and appropriate.
We also consider “appropriate durability”: long life is more important in a building envelope than in interior finish materials that will be replaced for aesthetic reasons. Here, reduced maintenance can be particularly important. An example is resilient flooring that doesn’t require regular waxing: an unnecessary use of resources and a health hazard.
GeoBoard
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Just how low the VOC level needs to be for a given product to qualify for inclusion in GreenSpec depends on the product category. For most products, we require certification to California’s health-based emissions standard, CDPH Std Method v1.1 standard (also referred to as California Section 01350), which tests a product’s resultant VOC concentrations in the space after a given period of time. For wet-applied products like paints, caulks, and adhesives, we still also look for VOC content instead of, or in addition to, verified low emissions; this is because emissions testing doesn’t adequately test initial offgassing, and VOC content is currently the only widely available proxy.
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Periodic pesticide treatment around buildings can be a significant health and environmental hazard. Green alternatives obviate the need for pesticide treatments. Examples include physical termite barriers and bait systems that apply toxins in a much more targeted way than broad-based pesticide application.
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While resilience—the ability to weather natural disasters and maintain livable conditions in the aftermath of disruptive events—is mostly an issue of building design and community preparedness, certain products can help. For example, almost all heating systems require electricity to operate even if their primary fuel is oil, gas, or wood pellets; systems that allow operation even if grid electricity is not available are more resilient in the event of power outages. Rainwater harvesting, water storage, composting toilets, and waterless urinals contribute to resilience not only in drought-prone areas but also during power outages in any home dependent on well water. Solar water heating systems that can operate without utility power, and back-up power systems that are more energy-efficient than standard generators, may have this attribute.
GeoBoard is a non-structural, decorative cement-bonded particleboard that can be used for a variety of interior or exterior applications, including cladding. Made with portland cement and 28% pre-consumer recycled wood fiber, these panels can be finished with sealers, stains, paints, and masonry finishes and can be machined and worked with typical carpentry tools; fasteners should be resistant to corrosion. This formaldehyde- and VOC-free particleboard is factory-sealed on all six sides and available in 4'x8' or 4'x10' sheets and in thicknesses from 5/16" to 1-1/2". The panels come with a square edge but tongue-and-groove, ship lap, and beveled edges can be special ordered. Due to the energy intensity of the cement content, this product should not be considered a green substitute for particleboard except where significant resistance to fire, moisture, termites, or vermin is required.
Cement-based panels can offer durability and indoor-air-quality benefits when used where moisture, mold, or insects are a problem, or where fire-rated panels are specified, and GreenSpec lists them due to these benefits. However, their product is energy intensive, relative to conventional sheathing or wallboard.
Cementitious sheathing products are made from portland or magnesia (magnesium oxide; MgO) cements, fillers, and reinforcement. Both portland and MgO cements release carbon dioxide as result of calcination, but MgO is fired at a lower temperature (approximately 1290°F vs 2700°F, respectively) and for less time, resulting in approximately 20%-40% less manufacturing energy. Unfortunately, MgO panels are currently made in China and are not widely distributed in the U.S., so they can be expensive, whereas portland cement panels are often made regionally across the U.S.
LEED Credits
EQc4.4: Low-Emitting Materials—Composite Wood&Agrifiber Products
IEQc4.4: Low-Emitting Materials—Composite Wood and Agrifiber Products
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