Green building materials: wall coating

Core Certification Content

The green building materials certification for wall coatings focuses on the green performance throughout the product life cycle, examining the following four key attribute dimensions:

Resource Attributes: Includes indicators such as the degree of localization of raw materials and water resource consumption. Enterprises are encouraged to adopt local procurement to reduce the environmental impact of transportation. Production enterprises shall establish and operate a quality management system and an environmental management system in accordance with GB/T 19001 and GB/T 24001, respectively.

Energy Attributes: Focuses on the comprehensive energy consumption per unit product. The comprehensive energy consumption during the production of wall coatings shall meet the requirements of relevant energy consumption limit standards and be tested and calculated according to GB/T 2589 "General Rules for Calculation of Comprehensive Energy Consumption."

Environmental Attributes: Covers indicators for hazardous substance limits such as volatile organic compound (VOC) content, formaldehyde content, benzene series content, soluble heavy metal content, total volatile organic compound release, ammonia content, as well as radionuclide limits. For water-based wall coatings, VOC content shall comply with GB/T 23986, formaldehyde content shall comply with GB/T 23993 or GB/T 34683, the total content of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene shall comply with GB/T 23990, and soluble heavy metal (lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury) content shall comply with GB/T 23994. Three-star requirements are more stringent.

Quality Attributes: Covers product physical performance indicators, including washability, alkali resistance, water resistance, contrast ratio, drying time, hiding power, adhesion, stain resistance, weather resistance, and resistance to artificial accelerated aging. Exterior wall coatings shall also meet the requirements of GB/T 9755, and interior wall coatings shall meet the requirements of GB/T 9756.

The list of harmful substances that production enterprises are prohibited from intentionally adding shall be implemented according to Appendix A of T/CECS 10039-2019.

Certification Levels and Evaluation System

Green building materials product grading certification is based on the T/CECS 10039-2019 standard and is divided into three levels from low to high according to the evaluation indicators achieved by the product:

One-Star: Meets basic green evaluation requirements and complies with the national basic standards for green building materials. The enterprise must meet all control item requirements, with each evaluation indicator reaching the one-star baseline value.

Two-Star: Demonstrates good performance in resource conservation, energy consumption, and environmental protection, reaching the industry's advanced level. The requirements for each evaluation indicator are stricter than those for one-star.

Three-Star: Exhibits excellent green performance with minimal impact on the ecological environment throughout the life cycle, representing the highest level of green building materials products. The requirements for each evaluation indicator are the most stringent.

The evaluation method includes initial inspection plus product sampling inspection plus post-certification supervision. Green building materials certification is divided into one-star, two-star, and three-star from low to high. Building materials products that have passed China Green Product Certification are equivalent to three-star green building materials.

Scope of Certified Products

This certification applies to the green building materials evaluation of wall coatings. The certification units are divided into two categories: water-based wall coatings and inorganic dry powder coating materials:

Water-Based Wall Coatings:

• Water-based flat coatings (for exterior and interior walls), product implementation standards include GB/T 9755, GB/T 9756, etc.
• Water-based textured coatings (for exterior and interior walls), product implementation standards include GB/T 9779, JG/T 24, etc.
• Water-based putties (for exterior and interior walls), product implementation standards include JG/T 157, JG/T 298, etc.

Inorganic Dry Powder Coating Materials:

• Inorganic dry powder coating materials (for exterior and interior walls), product implementation standards include JC/T 2083, JG/T 445, etc.

The same production enterprise, same type of product, but different production sites shall be treated as different certification units.

Basic Certification Requirements

Enterprises and products applying for green building materials certification for wall coatings must meet the following basic conditions:

Compliance Requirements for Production and Operation: The production enterprise shall comply with applicable national standards, local standards, and environmental impact assessment approvals, obtain a local government pollutant discharge permit, and have no major environmental pollution incidents or major safety accidents in the past three years.

Solid Waste Disposal Requirements: The collection, storage, and disposal of general solid waste shall comply with GB 18599; the storage of hazardous waste shall comply with GB 18597, and it shall subsequently be delivered to a unit with a hazardous waste operation license for disposal.

Management System Requirements: The production enterprise shall establish and operate a quality management system and an environmental management system in accordance with GB/T 19001 and GB/T 24001, respectively.

Product Qualification Requirements: The basic performance of wall coatings shall meet the requirements of the corresponding product implementation standards. The product must provide a type inspection report valid within one year (issued by a testing institution with CMA qualifications).

Prohibition of Hazardous Substances: Production enterprises shall not intentionally add hazardous substances listed in Appendix A of T/CECS 10039-2019, including benzene, ethylene glycol ethers and their esters, diamines, organic solvents, ketones, persistent organic pollutants, ozone-depleting substances, phthalates, surfactants, polychlorinated naphthalenes, polychlorinated biphenyls, perfluoroalkyl compounds, etc.

Other Requirements: Provide a list of key raw materials for filing, relevant management documents for factory assurance capabilities, proof of no major environmental pollution accidents or major safety accidents in the past three years, product safety data sheets compliant with GB/T 16483, and product safety labels compliant with GB 15258.

Certification Process

The implementation of green building materials product grading certification adopts the model of initial inspection plus product sampling inspection plus post-certification supervision:

Certification Application: Submit the application form (indicating the applied green building materials level), business license, product process flow chart, factory organization chart, key raw material filing list, product type inspection report valid within one year, management system related documents, environmental compliance certification documents (environmental impact assessment approval, pollutant discharge permit, etc.), product safety data sheet, product safety label, and other materials. After accepting the application, the certification body signs a certification agreement with the certification applicant.

Document Technical Review: The certification body reviews the completeness, suitability, and validity of the application documents. The review conclusions are divided into three cases: meeting requirements for on-site inspection, basically meeting requirements that need supplementation and improvement, and not meeting requirements that cannot proceed to on-site inspection. The document technical review for one certification unit requires 2 person-days, and for each additional certification unit, 0.5 person-days are added. After accepting the certification application, the document technical review shall be completed within 15 working days in principle.

Initial Factory Inspection: Includes factory assurance capability inspection, product consistency inspection, and verification of compliance with green evaluation requirements. On-site inspection focuses on the operation of the enterprise's energy management system, production energy consumption control measures, operation status of the wastewater recovery system, pollutant emission control measures, and solid waste disposal. The inspection shall be completed within 30 working days after the document technical review meets requirements or basically meets requirements.

Product Sampling Inspection: The certification body designates a laboratory with CMA qualifications to complete the sampling inspection. Inspection items include VOC content, formaldehyde content, benzene series content, soluble heavy metal content, total VOC release, ammonia content, washability, contrast ratio, alkali resistance, water resistance, and other indicators. Inspection reports issued within the past 12 months by a laboratory with CMA qualifications that meet the requirements may be accepted.

Certification Result Evaluation and Approval: After passing the document technical review, on-site inspection, and product sampling inspection, the certification body conducts a comprehensive evaluation, approves the certification decision, and issues the certificate. From the date of formal acceptance of the certification entrustment to the date of issuance of the certification certificate, it generally does not exceed 90 days. The certification certificate is valid for five years.

Post-Certification Supervision: After the enterprise obtains the certificate, supervision is arranged, with intervals not exceeding one year. Supervision includes factory assurance capability supervision inspection, product consistency supervision inspection, continuous compliance verification of green evaluation requirements, and product supervision inspection.

Recertification Audit: Conduct a recertification audit before the certificate expires to extend the certification qualification, typically with a cycle of five years.

Certification Value

Enhance Product Market Competitiveness: Green building materials product certification is a nationally promoted voluntary product certification. Certified products can gain priority procurement and application in government procurement, key projects, municipal public works, etc. In green building projects such as government public buildings, hospitals, and schools, green building materials certification has become a necessary qualification and bonus point for bidding and filing. Wall coatings are included in the water sealing and building coatings category of the Green Building Materials Product Grading Certification Catalog. Starting from 2025, the mandatory procurement ratio of green building materials in government projects (hospitals, schools, etc.) shall be no less than 80%, and uncertified products will lose significant market opportunities.

Enjoy Policy Support and Financial Subsidies: Multiple provinces and cities provide financial rewards or fiscal support to enterprises that have passed green building materials product certification. For example, cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen subsidize certification costs by 200,000 to 500,000 yuan. Certified enterprises can also enjoy tax incentives such as corporate income tax reductions, with tax rates reduced to 15% in some regions. The policy of government procurement supporting green building materials has been implemented in 101 cities (including municipal districts) such as Chaoyang District, Beijing.

Enhance Bidding Competitiveness: The green building materials certification certificate can be used as a bonus point in project bidding and procurement. For municipal projects, three-star building materials can add 5 to 10 points, helping to enhance the enterprise's differentiated bidding capability. Obtaining the green building materials label is a necessary condition and bidding bonus point for enterprises to participate in major projects, government-invested engineering bids, and to enter the qualified supplier list of large buyers.

Meet the Development Needs of Green Buildings: With the implementation of the "Green Building Evaluation Standard" GB/T 50378-2019 and the promotion of green building creation actions, the application ratio of green building materials in new urban buildings is continuously increasing. As an important component of building decoration, certified wall coating products are more likely to enter the green building market.

Respond to Dual Carbon Strategy Requirements: Under the background of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, green building materials product certification requires enterprises to conduct carbon footprint accounting and environmental product declarations, helping enterprises cope with carbon emission control requirements and plan ahead for low-carbon development. Certification guides enterprises to adopt low-carbon processes. For example, new products launched in 2025 will feature carbon footprint labels to quantify building material carbon emissions.

Establish Corporate Social Responsibility Image: Certification proves the enterprise's commitment and actions in resource conservation and environmental protection, enhancing customer trust, improving brand reputation, and meeting consumers' demand for upgraded green building materials.