When a house is listed for sale in Colorado, the seller can fill out a green disclosure form to indicate what "green" or environmentally friendly qualities the house has. Many of the terms on the form are specific terms, often abbreviated, that may be unclear. Let's go over them and discuss what they mean.
The fifth item is "Indoor Air Quality." The form's options are: Indoor Air Quality Plus by ENERGY STAR, Heat Recovery Ventilator/Fresh Air System, Green Guard Certified Carpet/Flooring, No Formaldehyde Certified Cabinetry, No or Low VOC Paint, and Radon Mitigation System.
"Indoor air quality plus by ENERGY STAR" means a home has been built to ENERGY STAR specifications not only for energy efficiency but also for Indoor airPLUS specifications. airPLUS qualifications involve constructing the home to protect against moisture and mold, pests, combustion gases, and other airborne pollutants. Read more at the EPA website, http://epa.gov/iaplus01/about.html
A "heat recovery ventilator/fresh air system" is a system that provides air circulation to a home (moving fresh air in and stale air out) and uses the heat in the stale air to warm the fresh air. This system can retain and transfer up to 85% of the heat in the outgoing air to the incoming air. Read more at http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/interior/1275121
"GREENGUARD certified carpet/flooring" is floor covering with materials that have been found to offgas low levels, or no levels, of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Information about “offgassing is at http://www.natureneutral.com/learnOff.php A list of certified floorings is available at http://www.greenguard.org/en/SearchResults.aspx?CategoryID=1
"No formaldehyde certified cabinetry" means that cabinets made of particleboard, medium-density fiberboard, and plywood have been tested and do not emit significant levels of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a component found in wood-binding adhesives and resins. Read more at http://www.greencabinetsource.org/index.cfm
"No or low VOC paint" means paint with levels of "volatile organic compounds" that are below certain concentrations. The levels vary somewhat depending on the type of paint. Because VOCs are a significant source of indoor air pollution, paint that has no or low-VOC can be an important factor in air quality. Read more at http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/construction/materials/low-voc-paint1.htm
A "radon mitigation system" vents radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, from your home or prevents it from entering your home by removing it from the surrounding soil. For more information specific to Colorado, go to http://www.coloradoradon.info And visit this webpage for a link to the brochure "Dealing with Radon in Real Estate Transactions": http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDPHE-HM/CBON/1251617273626
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