BRE Green Guide

The Green Guide to Specification provides guidance on how to make environmental choices when selecting construction materials and components.

In the Green Guide, materials and components are assessed in terms of their environmental impacts, within comparable specifications, across their entire life cycles. The information helps all those involved in the design, construction and management of buildings to reduce the environmental impacts of their properties.

Environmental rankings – the Guide presents information on the environmental impacts of building elements and specifications by ranking them on an A+ to E rating scale. These environmental rankings are based on life cycle assessment (LCA), using environmental profiles methodology. They are generic rankings that illustrate a range of typical materials.

Building types – the Guide examines the relative environmental impacts of the construction materials commonly used in six generic building types – commercial (eg offices), educational, healthcare, retail, domestic and industrial – covering more than 2000 specifications.

Building elements – materials and components are arranged on a building element basis so that you can compare and select from comparable systems or materials as you compile your specification. The elements covered are, external walls, internal walls and partitions, roofs, ground floors, upper floors, floor finishes, windows, insulation and landscaping. The catalogue is continually being updated.