Green Policies, Regulations & Standards

RESET is a global voluntary building performance standard and certification program focused on continuous monitoring and data transparency. It includes modular standards for Air, Energy, Water, and Waste, helping buildings, interiors, and products measure health and sustainability performance. RESET Air defines requirements for continuous indoor air quality monitoring, while RESET Energy standardizes energy performance data requirements. RESET is not a law and does not replace building codes, health rules, water laws, waste laws or safety regulations. It is relevant for building owners, tenants, facility managers, investors and sustainability teams seeking credible operational performance data.

The Global Recycled Standard, or GRS, is a voluntary global standard owned and managed by Textile Exchange. It verifies recycled content and tracks recycled raw materials through the supply chain using third-party certification and chain-of-custody controls. GRS also includes requirements for social and environmental practices and chemical restrictions. It was developed with the textile industry in mind but may apply to products from any industry. GRS is voluntary unless required by brands, retailers, procurement, contracts or sourcing policies. It does not replace waste, chemical, product safety, labeling or green claims laws. Textile Exchange is transitioning recycled material standards into the Materials Matter Standard.

PEFC, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, is a voluntary global forest certification system. It endorses national forest certification systems and provides chain-of-custody requirements for forest and tree-based products under PEFC ST 2002:2020, supported by trademark and certification body standards. PEFC is used across timber, paper, packaging, furniture, construction and other forest-based products. It is voluntary unless required by buyers, procurement, sourcing policies, green building systems or contracts. PEFC does not replace forestry law, timber legality rules, EUDR due diligence, CITES, customs rules or green claims laws.

TRUE, or Total Resource Use and Efficiency, is a zero-waste certification system administered by GBCI. It verifies facility or project performance on waste prevention, diversion, reuse, recycling, composting, purchasing, and circular materials management. Projects must document zero waste practices, earn required credits under the TRUE Rating System, and submit 12 months of waste diversion data annually to keep certification current. TRUE is voluntary unless required by contract, procurement or corporate policy. It is relevant for manufacturing, offices, logistics, retail, campuses, events and public facilities seeking credible zero waste claims and stronger waste data.

EDGE, or Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, is a green building software, standard and certification system created by IFC. It helps project teams design and certify buildings that reduce energy use, water use and embodied carbon in materials compared with a local baseline. EDGE is used internationally, especially in emerging markets, and supports green real estate finance, development finance and sustainable building portfolios. Certification is voluntary unless required by lenders, investors, procurement rules or corporate commitments. EDGE does not replace building codes or legal permits, but it provides third-party evidence for green building performance and climate-related investment claims.

PEER, or Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal, is a GBCI-administered rating system for sustainable power system performance. It assesses electricity infrastructure across reliability, resilience, power quality, clean energy, environmental performance, operational management, and grid modernization. PEER can apply to utilities, cities, campuses, microgrids, transit systems, renewable energy installations and critical infrastructure. Certification levels include Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. PEER is voluntary unless required by contract, financing, or procurement, and it does not replace electricity regulation or grid codes. It is relevant for net-zero because resilient, reliable, and cleaner grids are essential for electrification and renewable energy integration.

SITES, or Sustainable SITES Initiative, is a GBCI-administered certification system for sustainable and resilient landscapes. It applies to projects with or without buildings and evaluates site planning, ecology, soils, vegetation, water, materials, construction, human health, operations, maintenance, and monitoring. The SITES v2 Rating System is a 200-point framework with four certification levels, and projects must meet prerequisites and earn enough points to certify. SITES is voluntary unless required by procurement, contract, finance, or internal policy. It is relevant for parks, campuses, public spaces, corporate landscapes, green infrastructure, and climate adaptation projects.

Parksmart, formerly Green Garage Certification, is a certification system for sustainable parking structures. It recognizes facilities that improve parking design, operations, energy efficiency, ventilation, EV readiness, smart parking, transportation demand management, and mobility integration. IPMI now leads Parksmart market engagement and program growth, while GBCI continues to administer certification, technical reviews, and project certification services. Parksmart is voluntary unless required by contract, procurement, financing, or internal policy. It is relevant for airports, universities, hospitals, municipalities, real estate owners, parking operators, and transit-linked parking assets.

The Living Building Challenge is ILFI’s flagship regenerative building certification program. It evaluates projects across seven Petals: Place, Water, Energy, Health + Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. The certification is performance-oriented and requires project registration, documentation, audit, and ILFI review. Projects may pursue Living, Petal or Core certification pathways under current program structures. LBC is voluntary unless required by contracts, procurement, financing or owner commitments. It does not replace building codes, permits or safety rules. It is relevant for developers, architects, public bodies, campuses and companies seeking credible regenerative building claims.

Zero Energy Certification is an ILFI certification for buildings that demonstrate net-zero energy performance. Living Future describes it as a global building certification program that verifies a net-zero energy balance without combustion. Certification is performance-based and requires project registration, defined energy boundaries, metered operating data, documentation, audit, and review. It is voluntary unless required by finance, procurement, contracts, incentives, or owner commitments. It is relevant for buildings seeking credible evidence of operational energy performance, electrification, and renewable energy integration.