GECA: Updated Floor Coverings Standard Released As Final

Good Environmental Choice Australia is very pleased to release the final version of GECA 25-2011 v2 Floor Coverings. This is the fourth in a series of five standards that GECA has revised and finalised following recognition in 2010 by the GBCA (Green Building Council of Australia) under its program of Green Star Product certification Schemes.

Now in its final form and ready for auditing, GECA 25-2011 v2 Floor Coverings replaces the GECA 25-2010 draft and supersedes the previous standard GECA 25-2005 Floor Coverings. Changes from the previous standard include addition of new materials requirements and total VOC limit and criteria for material efficiency. It now encompasses parquet, wooden planks and engineered wood products including laminate, linoleum, bamboo, cork, rubber and vinyl.

The GBCA has confirmed that products certified under the GECA 25-2011 v2 standard will be recognised at Level A, entitling conforming products to 100% of available Green Star points. This standard corresponds with the Flooring Calculator in the GBCA's Green Star rating tools.

GECA's suite of five GBCA-recognised standards covers this and four other standards:

• Furniture and Fittings, Level A and B versions of which were released as finals in December 2010,
• Panel Boards, released in final form in February 2011 and
• the soon-to-be-released Level A Carpets standard.

GECA is a not-for-profit organisation whose Environmental Choice Australia program offers a Type I (third party) multi-sector ecolabel that operates in line with ISO 14024 principles. This means our standards are based on international best practice, scientific research and take a cradle-to-cradle approach. They are trusted and widely recognised in Australia and in 40 Global Ecolabelling Network nations as independent, stringent, robust and transparent.

To view the standards in full on the GECA website visit: http://www.geca.org.au/list-of-geca-standards.html

Further information about Green Building Council of Australia recognition of GECA standards is available here: http://www.gbca.org.au/green-star/materials-category/product-certification-schemes/2933.htm

We at GECA thank you for your ongoing interest and support as we continue to offer type 1 ecolabelling develop standards based on ISO pursuit of quality environmental products and services.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information on this exciting update.