Green Guide Simple Header

The Green Guide to Specification

Green Guide Page Description
Easy-to-use guidance on how to make the best environmental choices when selecting construction materials and components.
Environmental rankings

Explore Our Green Guide for Sustainable Solutions

Green Guide online provides designers and specifiers with guidance for selecting construction materials and components. Materials and components are assessed in terms of their environmental impact across their entire life cycle - from ‘cradle to grave', within comparable specifications.

Visit the Green Guide

Environmental rankings

The Green 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 assessments(LCA), using our environmental profiles methodology. They are generic rankings that illustrate a range of typical materials.

Building types

The Green Guide examines the relative environmental impacts of the construction materials commonly used in six generic building types: commercial, educational, healthcare, retail, domestic and industrial. It covers more than 2,000 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. This extensive catalogue is continually being updated with specifications covering most common building materials.