Quite a bit of attention has been focused on the issue of green building materials. What makes a given product "green"? How does one evaluate the relative greenness of different products? How does one find green products? More important, perhaps, manufacturers are asking, "How can we make our products greener?"

Our approach with this directory is to identify quantifiable, easily verifiable standards, where these can be defined, then base other decisions about what should be included on the collective wisdom of our editorial staff.

RECORD's Green Product Guide has been updated to reflect the recently expanded MasterFormat 2004 Edition. Although this new edition is a significant change for the industry standard, the subject matter for Divisions 3 to 14 remains basically the same as MasterFormat 1995. Major changes for the Edition include an increase in divisions from 16 to 50, the relocation of building site construction related material from the old Division 2 to new Divisions 31and 32, and the addition of separate divisions for Fire Suppression, Plumbing, HVAC, Integrated Automation, Electrical, Communications, and Electronic Safety and Security. Also noteworthy is that several division numbers have been reserved for MasterFormat's future expansion. We will continue to update and add more divisions to the Guide throughout the year. For more information on MasterFormat 2004, visit www.csinet.org.