Overview
How to search
It's easy just follow these steps:
1. Login with user name and password supplied – not a subscriber?
2. Is the product you wish to research in a group covered by one of the Priority Setting Guides?
Select one or more search functions:
3. Site Search - searches everything, product names & text, suppliers, articles etc (top left of screen – cannot be used in conjunction with other searches)
For Product Listing searches only:
4. Product Category - traditional product descriptions
5. Outcomes - ecological or health outcomes, Green Star, BASIX or other rating tool credit or Data Assuarance quality searches
6. Keyword - use any word to search product listings & text - don’t forget to use the asterix (*) as ‘wildcard’ to maximise search function, eg ‘paint*’ to seek results for paint, paints, painted etc.
Refine your Product Search:
7. Use Parallel Search Functions - use any combinations of Category and/or Outcome and/or Keyword to create highly targeted specific searches of product listings & text
8. Check the Glossary - if you don’t understand some terminology
Return to the Home Page:
9. Click on the ecospecifier logo at the top left of any page to return to the home page
How to Search - in detail:
1. How to access the database
ecospecifier is a subscriber-based service, although the majority of the knowledgebase and a growing list of products is available in the public domain without the need for login. Login with user name and password supplied – not a subscriber?
2. Is the product you wish to research in a group covered by one of the Priority Setting Guides?
ecospecifier knowledgebase contains guides to help decision-making with regards to optimising eco, health and productivity outcomes such as:
- Priority Setting Guides for in-depth information on complex issues such as plastics, paints and adhesives, carpets, etc.
- A Sustainable Timber Technical Guide
- Extensive links, further resources, and much more
Found on the home page and at the top left of any screen, this function searches the entire site. It searches everything including product names & text, suppliers, articles images etc. It cannot be used in conjunction with other searches.
The ecospecifier product category search now has approximately 60 common industry categories and 400 individual sub categories, covering all sustainable materials products and technologies relevant to the built environment.
The database may be queried by these categories or sub-categories individually or in conjunction with the ‘Outcome or Green Star Credit’ search function and/or the ‘keyword’ search function.
5. Outcome or Green Star Credit
The Outcomes and Green Star Credits search options allow outcome-oriented searches to query the products database using more familiar sounding search queries that are, nonetheless, addressing the Assessment Criteria (shown in summary dot point form below).
Often in a project a product will be sought with particular qualities, and this is what the 'Outcomes' search is designed to assist. For example, outcomes could be used to:
- Search for all products that facilitate water conservation
- Refine a search for floor coverings to return only those that had preferred content that reduced greenhouse emissions.
The following is a summary of the issues searched by the ‘Outcomes’ selected. Apart from the ‘Data Assurance’ and ‘Green Star’ or other rating tool outcome (which are as shown below), the other topics recognise the following beneficial outcomes compared to the ‘Assessment Comparison’ product shown in the listing.
Data Assurance Level:
The depth of assessment of the product listing and whether it has ecolabel or third party assessment of information. Each assessment is recognised at the level of assessment relevant to that listing i.e:
- Has an Ecolabel – has been awarded a Type 1 ecolabel (see What is an Ecolabel)
- Independent Product LCA – a third party Life Cycle Assessment has been provided for review with the ecospecifier questionnaire
- Independent Verification Documentation
- Manufacturer Claim
- Expert Judgement by ecospecifier
For more information on Data Assurance Level meaning see Assessment Criteria and/or Applying Standards
Energy & Greenhouse
- energy efficiency
- embodied energy
- renewable energy or greenpower use or
- reduced greenhouse gas emissions
Reduced energy use, alternative and renewable energy sources, reduced greenhouse emissions of all types e.g. methane, oxides of nitrogen (NOx), oxides of sulphur (SOx), greenhouse friendly refrigerants or blowing agents etc.
Enhance Human Health
- Human health
- Indoor Environment
- Air Quality Management
- Low Electromagnetic Radiation
- Low/ Non Toxic Material
- Promotes Safety & Security
Reduced VOCs, toxics and pollution with negative human health impacts. Improved ventilation, air filtering, indoor environment quality enhancing eg daylight controls, anti-glare screens or blinds, dust & moisture control etc.
Green Star Office Design
Specific Credits as per the Green Star Technical Manual:
- Recycled Steel
- Recycled Concrete
- Low VOC paints
- PVC-Free
- Non-Old Growth Timber
Green Star Office Interiors:
Specific Credits as per the Green Star Technical Manual
Protect Habitat, Land and Water
- Preserve Habitat, Land and Water
- Habitat Degradation
- Water Conservation
- Water Quality Management
- Reduced Nutrient Loads
Minimises impacts on biodiversity and ecology in aquatic and land based ecosystems, Reduced chemical, siltation and erosion, eutrification (see Glossary) impacts, reduced physical impacts e.g. land clearing as well as preferred land management practices e.g. FSC certified sustainable timber, Certified Organic agricultural practices etc. Also reduced water consumption in manufacture and operation.
Preserve Resources
- Preserve Resources
- Reduced Waste in Production
- Reduced Waste in use/Disposal
- Resource Efficiency
- Rapidly Renewable
- Locally Produced
Avoids or minimises the use of resources: particularly rare and non-renewable resources such as precious metals and fossil fuels but also considers highly efficient design and manufacturing processes, resource saving in use e.g. energy, water, non-disposable items etc, materials replacement (non-renewable with renewable), rapidly renewable resources, reuse, recycled content, manufacturer take-back and extended producer responsibility schemes.
Reduce Pollution
- Reduced embodied Pollution
- Low Pollution over Life
Reduced chemical, thermal and noise pollution, acidification, radiation (electromagnetic and nuclear)
Type in any keyword you wish. Multiple word use will result in individual searches for each word. To maximise search results don’t forget to use the asterix (*) as ‘wildcard’, eg paint* to seek results for paint, paints, painted, etc.
7. Refine your Product Search Using Parallel Searches
Use any combinations of Category and/or Outcome and/or Keyword to create highly targetted specific searches of product listings & text
Check the Glossary if you don't understand some terminology. It contains many useful definitions of key terms and descriptors.
Click on the ecospecifier logo at the top left any page to return to the home page.
