Green Guide to Specification (GGtS) Jargon Buster
GBE > Encyclopaedia > Code > Jargon Buster > Entries > G > G#1398 N#1371
About:
Definitions:
BRE GREEN GUIDE TO SPECIFICATION
Created by BRE originally for the Post Office but today more for the ‘business as usual’ industry.
An ABC rating of materials, from the outset it tried to create a level playing field but only put one team on the pitch, conventional materials and no green materials.
In 2001 it was criticised at AECB conference for lack of Green materials but BRE carried on excluding most of them until today.
It still evaluates which is the least violet of the violet materials, rather than identify green materials.
InCrops (the NNFCC or East of England) at UEA are trying to help BRE to include green materials.
Formerly a book now a website and a 4th edition book
ABC has grown to A+, A to E
A or A+ rating are the higher scores, what we call ‘BRE Green’
(NGS BRM ’08 – ’10)
The BRE’s environmental impact of construction materials rating system.
Closely linked to EcoHomes, BREEAM, Code for Sustainable Homes, Envest2.
Controversy exists about the Guide’s veracity.
(GreenSpec AEP ’09 & BRM ’10)
BRE Global will continue to offer Green Guide ratings using the BRE Environmental Profiles methodology.
Existing Green Guide ratings will remain unchanged.
(BRE VB ’11)
BRE felt it was okay to ignore CEN TC 350 (EN 15804) Product Category Rules in the GreenGuide.
BRE have now set out their road map to EN 15804 compliance, and announced they have competed their updating process in 2013
(NGS BRM ’12 – ’13)
Opinion:
© GBE GBC GRC GIC GGC GBL NGS ASWS Brian Murphy aka BrianSpecMan ******
4th February 2014 – 28th June 2026
Images:
Green Guide
© GBE GBC GRC GIC GGC GBL NGS ASWS Brian Murphy aka BrianSpecMan ******
4th February 2014 – 28th June 2026
See Also:
GBE Jargon Buster
- BREEAM
- BRE EP
- CEN
- CEN TC 350
- Envest 2
- Environmental profiles (EP)
- Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)
- EPD
- LCA
- Life Cycle Analysis
GBE CPD
- BRE: Green Guide to Specification
- ‘BRE Green’ v ‘GreenSpec Green’
- GreenSpecPASS Product Assessment Screening System (not LCA)
- Green Material Olympics (2008) @ E5Expo
- GreenSpec Critique of BRE GreenGuide @ Burdens Delivering Sustainability (see also NGS PROJECTS)
- Green Materials Olympics (2012) for ASBP @ Cullinan Studios
GBE Links
GBE Projects
GBE Buildings
- Pembrokeshire St David’s Visitors Centre
- Aberystwyth Arts Centre Dance & Media Extension
- 17 Charter House Street, London
GBE Information
- ASBP Technical Working Group
GBE Reports
ASBP & PE INTERNATIONAL
© GBE GBC GRC GIC GGC GBL NGS ASWS Brian Murphy aka BrianSpecMan ******
4th February 2014 – 28th June 2026
