If you don’t already know, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute has one main goal: To protect and improve public health and life quality for both children and adults in homes, business, schools, and other indoor public places. The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute does this by providing certification for products that have low-chemical emissions, thus promoting a healthy Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute has three main green certification programs – GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification, GREENGUARD Building Construction Certification, and last, but not least, GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certification.

Of these three GREENGUARD Certification programs, the GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certification standards are the strictest in order to protect young children who are often especially sensitive to chemical emissions.

In February 2009, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute was honored to announce that the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) was now accepting flooring products with the GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certification toward receiving LEED credit EQ 4.3. This LEED credit is given to flooring systems that have low chemical emissions. This includes low emitting ceramic tile, stone, hardwood, laminate, bamboo, and rubber, as well as padding, cushions, and underlayments. As a result, there are now over 10,000 flooring products available that meet the GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certification standards and qualify for this LEED credit.

For more information on how the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute is protecting our children with safe schools visit GREENGUARD Children and Schools.