A Review of Construction Projects Using Sustainable Materials

To assist designers with specifying recycled-content products, CalRecycle staff reviewed sustainable design measures incorporated into several projects. Establishing goals for selecting green materials and adopting the language into contracts can help to ensure specific sustainable material/product selection criteria are followed. Once green material selection criteria have been adopted, they can be used to assist designers in evaluating and choosing sustainable materials. A review of construction projects using green products are identified in a matrix.

Sustainable Materials Section Criteria

East End Project

The request for proposal (RFP) for the East End Project included this language for selecting green materials:

“Sustainable building materials have environmental and health merits which traditional materials have typically not considered. The production and use of these materials means less energy consumption, less natural resource depletion and pollution, and are generally less toxic for both the planet and its occupants. For this project, the selection of sustainable building materials shall include.” (Sustainable materials selection criteria was originally inserted in the text of the RFP.) “The Design/Builder shall demonstrate that materials have been selected which represent the most appropriate choice given the various criteria.”