BIFMA LEVEL®

Eligible Products

Products eligible for LEVEL® certification include all business and institutional furniture. This includes but is not limited to moveable walls, systems furniture, desking systems, casegoods, tables, seating, and accessories.

Certification Criteria

Qualification for LEVEL® certification under the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard requires conformance with criteria under four specific categories:

• Materials
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Human and Ecosystem Health
• Social Responsibility

Points earned under each of these categories determine the level of certification earned:

• level 1. The first tier of certified performance
• level 2. Additional milestones of performance achieved
• level 3. The highest level of performance recognized

Certification to LEVEL® attests that the product, the manufacturing facility, and the company responsible for the product brand, have been evaluated by an accredited third-party certification body against the multi-attribute criteria of the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard.

1. Scope
• SCS scopes the project and prepares a proposal.
• Client agrees to scope and signs a work order.
• An SCS account manager is assigned to guide client through the certification process.
2. Data Collection
• Client completes Data Request Form, identifying credits to be pursued and submits to auditor along with supporting documentation.
• Once sufficient data is collected, an onsite audit is scheduled.
3. Onsite Audit
• The SCS auditor conducts an onsite audit.
• Onsite audits typically take 4-6 hours per facility.
4. Corrective Actions
• Client responds to any non-conformities or new information requests.
5. Reporting
• The SCS auditor prepares a draft Assessment Report that details the findings of the audit, including nonconformities, and opportunities for improvement.
6. Certification Decision
• An SCS reviewer conducts a final review of the draft Assessment Report and makes the certification decision.
• Upon successful certification, client is listed in SCS Green Products Guide, the levelcertified.org website, and is granted the right to use the approved level® logo.
7. Certification Maintenance
• Annual surveillance audits of a sampling of credits is required along with full scale renewal every 3 years.

LEED v4

Depending on the credits earned, LEVEL® certified products can support LEED achievement of:

• LEED 2009 or V4 Pilot Credit 112
• LEVEL® certified products contribute to achievement
• LEED V4 MR Credit Building Product Disclosure & Optimization – Material Ingredients
• LEVEL® certified products achieving 3 points in LEVEL® credit 7.5.1.3 contribute to achievement

EPA Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing

• LEVEL® is approved to meet furniture purchasing requirements for U.S. government agencies established by the EPA.
• EPA’s criteria are intended to help federal purchasers identify and procure environmentally sustainable products and services.

• Qualifies for credit for LEED v4 and other rating systems
• Meets criteria for EPA ecolabel and GSA procurement requirements
• Provides a comprehensive review of your sustainability program
• Establishes a consistent metric for easy comparability
• Guides organizations on a path towards continuous improvement