GOLD STANDARD FOR GREEN LABELLING

There are several different organic certification bodies operating in this region.  For a complete list see: ACORN Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network

Canadian Green Building Council

The Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC) was created to encourage green building

practices in Canada. The council is made up of different representatives from the design and

construction sectors of the building industry, to help guide and inform industry standards and green building guidelines. The CaGBC mandate – ‘building with purpose’ – highlights the importance of sustainable and green building practices. The council provides information on green building techniques to include GHG mitigation strategies and best practice examples. Building owners can register their building projects or existing built facilities with CaGBC to achieve a professional accreditation in recognition of their green building achievements. Members also receive access to green resources and other educational tools in support of sustainable building design and operation.

FSC Certification

Green Globes

The Green Globes system is a revolutionary building environmental design and management tool. It delivers an online assessment protocol, rating system and guidance for green building design, operation and management. It is interactive, flexible and affordable, and provides market recognition of a building’s environmental attributes through third-party verification.

Energy Star (Canada)

Energy Star functions as an energy label and rating system tool for buildings that are considered highly energy efficient. Connecting climate change and corporate governance, Energy Star is used as a labelling and certification program that allows building owners and managers to promote their products as complying with certain energy-efficiency and performance criteria rated by the program. This internationally used symbol identifies the most energy-efficient products in their class. In fact, products that carry this symbol are said to meet the premium levels of energy efficiency, at a rate 10 to 50 percent better than the regulated minimum standard in Canada. The mission of the Energy Star program is to achieve significant reductions in GHG emissions and energy consumption, by promoting the purchase of energy efficient products and building materials.

LEED Rating System

There are a number of LEED Canada rating systems available to meet the needs of different building and project types. If you are unsure whether your project is a candidate for LEED certification, identify the rating system you believe best applies from the menu on the left and then review the Checklist found within that certification’s Green Building Rating System document. Your project is a viable candidate for certification if it meets all prerequisites and can achieve the minimum number of points necessary to earn the Certified level.

SeaChoice Choosing sustainable seafood