5.4: Sustainable Materials Attributes

(10 maximum points possible)

Product Sustainable Materials Attributes (10 points)

GREEN GLOBES #5.4.1.1 - ANSI #10.4.1.1 What percentage is the Product Sustainable Attribute Material?

• ≥28% (10 points) 
• ≥26% and <28% (9 points) 
• ≥24% and <26% (8 points) 
• ≥22% and <24% (7 points) 
• ≥20% and <22% (6 points) 
• ≥18% and <20 (5 points) 
• ≥16% and <18% (4 points) 
• ≥14% and <16% (3 points) 
• ≥12% and <14% (2 points) 
• ≥11% and <12% (1 points) 
• <11% (0 points)

Assessment Guidance

Points are earned based on adding percentages of materials, by material cost, that carry the pre-consumer recycled content, post-consumer recycled content, biobased content or third party sustainable forestry certification content attribute:

Product Sustainable Attribute Material =

Pre-consumer recycled content %

+

Post-consumer recycled content %

+

Biobased content %

+

Third Party Sustainable Forestry Certification content %

Use the formula below to determine the percentages by cost of the products that carry the listed attributes. Only the portion of materials that has the identified attribute should be included. For example, if a product has 40% pre-consumer recycled content, only 40% of the value of that product is included.

Sustainable Attribute % = Sum for all materials: (Portion of the Material with the Attribute x materials cost)/(Total Material Value)

Products that are claimed for credit under Third Party Sustainable Forestry Certification are not also included as biobased content.

Biobased content percentage may be calculated by weight or in accordance with ASTM D6866-16 Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis.

The following forest certification systems are recognized: 

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): https://us.fsc.org/en-us 
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Inc. (SFI): http://www.sfiprogram.org/ 
• American Tree Farm System (ATFS): https://www.treefarmsystem.org/ 
• Canadian Standards Association Sustainable Forestry Management (CSA): http://www.csasfmforests.ca/ 
• Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC): https://www.pefc.org/

Recommended Documents

• Manufacturer’s product data sheets or a statement from manufacturer(s) certifying claims or third-party certification from an organization that has the program in its ISO 17065 scope of accreditation.

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