The certificate of environment-friendly building materials system goes into effect starting in February. Among the subjected items include veneer boards, flooring materials, wall papers, panels, paints, and adhesives. The system entails strict toxicity testing and environmental grading of these building materials, and disclosing respective information through mandatory attachment of the 'HB' certificate mark.

The 'HB' certificate mark will include the HB (Healthy Building) logo, and the product's environmental rating - excellent, very good, good, average I & II.

This fully geared system is a result of the Ministry's two-year effort of developing the Certification Council, concrete enforcement regulations, and toxicity testing methods and agencies.

Not only the system would expedite the production of green building materials, it would also make significant contribution to citizen's health by preventing the 'sick house syndrome', which refers to a phenomenon in which people suffer from various symptoms caused by formaldehyde and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emitted by toxic substances in new buildings.