# CSI's Green Format vs. HPD **URL:** \ **Category:** Sustainable Design Topics\ **Created:** [August 25, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/csis-green-format-vs-hpd/3108 "2016-08-25T16:49:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mroberts251](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@mroberts251](https://forum.4specs.com/u/mroberts251)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/csis-green-format-vs-hpd/3108/1 "2016-08-25T16:49:21Z")
I need some history. Why is it that Green Format didn’t get traction and designers are now going to Google’s Quartz Project Data Base. What can I do to get Green Format and it’s website going again! ---
**Author:** ![specman](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.4specs.com/specman/32/222_2.png) [@specman](https://forum.4specs.com/u/specman)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:17pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/csis-green-format-vs-hpd/3108/2 "2016-08-25T17:17:29Z")
Budgets: - Google: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ - CSI: $ Need I say more? ---
**Author:** ![rich\_gonser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@rich\_gonser](https://forum.4specs.com/u/rich_gonser)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/csis-green-format-vs-hpd/3108/3 "2016-08-25T17:21:31Z")
Become an advertiser on that Google page. ---
**Author:** ![rich\_gonser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@rich\_gonser](https://forum.4specs.com/u/rich_gonser)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/csis-green-format-vs-hpd/3108/4 "2016-08-25T17:50:00Z")
I forgot to add, have it sponsored by a variety of manufacturers on a rotating basis. ---
**Author:** ![George\_Everding](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.4specs.com/george_everding/32/20_2.png) [@George\_Everding](https://forum.4specs.com/u/George_Everding)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/csis-green-format-vs-hpd/3108/5 "2016-08-25T18:52:20Z")
There is a fundamental, existential issue here: does it make sense for CSI to have Green Format in the first place? Not to denigrate the effort that went into creating this product - I know and respect many of the authors who spent long volunteer hours making it happen - but are we involved in too many peripheral activities at the expense of our core function? CSI is not expert in sustainability, nor in BIM, nor in any of a myriad of other things some of us would like to do. We are, however, recognized outside of our organization as the experts in specifications - it’s our middle name, right? All these other things deserve our mention and our notice only to the extent they influence, or are influenced by, specifications. But I think we make a mistake when we try to assume a leadership role in complex areas, like sustainability, that are really outside of our core competency. ---
**Author:** ![anon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anon](https://forum.4specs.com/u/anon)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/csis-green-format-vs-hpd/3108/6 "2016-08-25T21:19:09Z")
I think CSI was in the right place at the right time with this GreenFormat idea, but the project strayed from what the focus should have been - developing a universal FORMAT for sustainable product information - into a maze of confusion and complexity that removed any possibility it could have any practical value. ---
**Author:** ![david\_j\_wyatt\_cdt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@david\_j\_wyatt\_cdt](https://forum.4specs.com/u/david_j_wyatt_cdt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 1:27pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/csis-green-format-vs-hpd/3108/7 "2016-08-26T13:27:50Z")
George, At the risk of turning this into an Institute discussion thread, I admire the clear, complete, concise, and correct statement you just made. Thank you! If an organization remains true to its real identity, the organization will be successful. That is, if the definition of success is fulfilling a practical mission.