When Are Green Products Selected?

There are five phases in the typical construction project, and selection requirements for green products depend on the phase.

1. Schematic Design: Prepare outline specifications or a project description. Determine the owner’s requirements for green, any budget impact, and possible need for green products to meet industry green evaluation programs, such as the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Certification or GreenGlobes. Green products and alternative mechanical and electrical systems may involve an initial premium price, with justification usually based on a reduction in life-cycle costs.

2. Design Development: Update outline specifications or prepare a draft of full specifications. Verify project requirements, including the essential evaluation of the green products’ performance requirements. Explore information on product options and features.

3. Construction Documents: Prepare full specifications, illustrating the requirements for green products. Re-evaluate detailed information, compatibility with adjacent materials, and material performance. If the contractor is not familiar with the product, additional details and installation instructions will be needed.

4. Bid and Award: Assist with sourcing green products and answering bidders’ questions. The contractor may require phone numbers or sources for green products unfamiliar to them. Bidders must be advised that they are bidding the products specified, which may not be familiar to them.

5. Construction Administration: Enforce your specifications. Be wary of substitutions that, while meeting other performance criteria, cannot meet green requirements. Verify that green products are ordered on time, and that the installers are factory-trained or acceptable to the manufacturer. For a USGBC project, maintain project documentation for final submittal for LEED certification. This will require collection of specific manufacturer information on chemical content limits, usually described in the manufacturer’s MSDS (material safety data sheet). For items where the manufacturing location and source of materials is important, an affidavit from the manufacturer should be required. The subcontractor will be required to separate labor and material costs for LEED calculations.

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