Today UL Environment announced (pdf) that they have acquired another ecolabel – this time indoor air quality standards run by GreenGuard Environmental Institute and associated testing labs AQS. This acquisition follows UL’s purchase last year of Canadian TerraChoice, the organisation running Ecologo.

GreenGuard are respected experts on indoor air quality, which can be complex to measure and certify given how many different sources contribute to a room’s overall air quality. The acquisition includes both GreenGuard (who run the standard and label) and the associated testing labs of Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS) who have the testing labs.

Greenguard has two widely recognized product certifications relevant in the building industry: the basic Greenguard Indoor Air Quality, and more rigorous Greenguard Children and Schools. According to a press release from GreenGuard, the program has more than 10,000 certified products.

Clearly this is a valuable addition to the growing portfolio of UL Environment, and it will be interesting to follow how the brands and testing methods of each are aligned. We also wonder for both Ecologo and GreenGuard if their logos will show the UL stamp or if they will remain, on the surface at least, independent.