Trademarks

Purpose

Green Button Alliance, Inc. is a North Carolina, USA, IRC 501(c)(3), nonprofit corporation created to further the Green Button^™ initiatives created by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institute of Science and Technology (a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce). 

This Style Guide was created to help companies with and without Green Button Certified℠ implementations understand the usage requirements for trademarks owned by the Green Button Alliance, by the U.S. Department of Energy, and/or by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

For a digitally sign-able Logo License Agreement, please Contact us.

Word Marks

☞     For clarity, correct usage of marks is shown in this Style Guide with a  ✓ check mark icon associated with the marks; however, the check mark icon is not a part of the marks in actual usage of those marks.

Example trademark usage

These word trademarks shall be presented in the styles shown below with the trademark ™ symbol or the registered trademark ^® symbol, as appropriate, noting the spacing or absence of spacing between the terms “GREEN” and “BUTTON” in all cases:

✓   Green Button™
✓   GREEN BUTTON™
✓   Green Button Alliance™
✓   GreenButton Download My Data^®
✓   Green Button Download My Data^®
✓   GREENBUTTON DOWNLOAD MY DATA^®
✓   GREEN BUTTON DOWNLOAD MY DATA^®
✓   GreenButton Connect My Data^®
✓   Green Button Connect My Data^®
✓   GREENBUTTON CONNECT MY DATA^®
✓   GREEN BUTTON CONNECT MY DATA^®

It is acceptable to visually differentiate the five words that comprise “Green Button Download My Data” and “Green Button Connect My Data” for readability by using italic type for “Download My Data” and “Connect My Data,” as demonstrated in two of the above examples.

Always denote trademarks

Use of the registration symbol ^® (when applicable), the unregistered trademark symbol ™ (when applicable), or the the unregistered service-mark symbol ℠ (when applicable) must appear with the first usage of the trademark or logo in a document; subsequent occurrences of the word mark do not require the symbols, but all occurrences of the logos require the appropriate symbol when one is included with the logo.  When used in a printed document, the symbols should be super-scripted and half the point size of the word.

Always provide proper attribution

A footnote reference to ownership of the trademarks must be used on all implementations, documentation, and advertisements.  The following are correct examples, depending on the trademarks being used:  

✓   GREEN BUTTON and the Green Button Logo are trademarks owned by Departments of the U.S. Government and/or Green Button Alliance, Inc.

✓   GREEN BUTTON is an Official Mark of the Ontario Ministry of Energy, registered in Canada.

✓   GREENBUTTON CONNECT MY DATA and GREENBUTTON DOWNLOAD MY DATA are registered trademarks owned by the U.S. Department of Energy.

✓   The GREEN BUTTON ALLIANCE and the Green Button Alliance Logo are trademarks of Green Button Alliance, Inc.

Use of hyphenation, plurality, and nouns

Trademarks may not be joined with other terms (by a hyphen, for instance) or used with unapproved logos, graphics, photos, slogans, numbers, design features or symbols.  Trademarks should never be made plural, never be mixed with other trademarks, and a trademark’s spelling should never be altered.

Always use trademarks as adjectives, never nouns, plural, or possessive, and the trademarks must be followed by the appropriate terminology.

☞     The most common mistake is to use the trademark as a noun instead of as an adjective followed by the generic noun.  

CORRECT

✓   Green Button data are available from many utilities.
✓   The Green Button ecosystem is continuing to grow.

    

WRONG

🚫   Many utilities provide Green Button.
🚫   Green Button is a growing ecosystem.

Never use the trademarks as part of your name or marks

No company—not even a Logo Licensee—is granted any right to incorporate the term “Green Button Alliance” in their implementation name, company name, or marks; and are prohibited from creating or using any confusingly similar word marks including but not limited to Association, Interest Group, and User Group.  

Likewise, the Certified Word Marks (see below) shall not be incorporated into the logo of another entity and use of a confusingly similar logo is prohibited; notwithstanding that the term “Green Button” may be used in implementation names as an attribution (✓ e.g., the “XYZ App for Green Button™ Data”).

☞     The Green Button Logo (defined by USPTO Serial Number 85208187) may be used only in the color of green and only for energy-related applications/services, otherwise unaltered, within an implementation or description; unless prohibited by the mark owner: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Translations of Trademarks

The trademark holders maintain rights to various translations of the marks.  Some marks are undergoing registration in languages other than English and some marks are simply known by their translations without current registration. 

The Green Button Alliance recognizes and uses the following translations, which is not meant to be an exhaustive list; only illustrative: 

French:

• Bouton Vert — Green Button translated into the French language.
• Alliance Bouton Vert — Green Button Alliance translated into the French language.
• Bouton Vert CMD Certifié — Green Button Certified CMD translated into the French language.
• Bouton Vert DMD Certifié — Green Button Certified DMD translated into the French language.
• Bouton Vert Télécharger Mes Données (DMD) — Green Button Download My Data (DMD) translated into the French language.
• Bouton Vert Connecter Mes Données (CMD) — Green Button Connect My Data (CMD) translated into the French language. 

Spanish:

• Botón Verde — Green Button translated into the Spanish language.

German:

• Grüner Knopf — Green Button translated into the German language.

Portuguese: 

• Botão Verde — Green Button translated into the Portuguese language.

Korean:

• 그린버튼 — the phonetic sound of Green Button in the Hangul alphabet for the Korean language.

Japanese:

• グリーンボタン — the phonetic sound of Green Button in Katakana syllables for the Japanese language.

🔒 “Certified” Word Marks

For clarity, restricted marks are shown in this Style Guide with a 🔒 lock icon associated with the marks; however, the lock icon is not a part of the marks in actual usage of the marks.

🔒☞     Use of the words “Green Button Certified” and/or the associated marks and/or Certified Word Marks, is restricted to use on advertising for those conforming products and implementations Certified by the Green Button Alliance testing program.  No use of language that includes the word, mark, or logo in connection with nonconforming implementations is allowed. 

1. The use of any term such as “Green Button Certified” (regardless of language, capitalization, and hyphenation) is prohibited without the appropriate DMD, CMD, Download My Data, or Connect My Data addition, either to describe conforming implementations or nonconforming implementations.
       
2. The use of any terms such as, “Green Button Alliance compliant”, “Green Button Alliance compatible”, or “Green Button Alliance conforming” (regardless of language, capitalization, and hyphenation) is prohibited at all times, whether for describing conforming implementations or nonconforming implementations.
       

These prohibitions apply to all online presence, packaging, or collateral and advertising material related to conforming and nonconforming implementations.

Certification alone dictates whether the Certified Word Marks, may be used; and only in the following forms upon signing of a Green Button Alliance Logo License Agreement ¹ :

✓🔒   Green Button Certified Download My Data
✓🔒   Green Button Certified Connect My Data
✓🔒   Green Button Certified™ Download My Data
✓🔒   Green Button Certified™ Connect My Data
✓🔒   Green Button Certified℠ Download My Data
✓🔒   Green Button Certified℠ Connect My Data
✓🔒   Green Button Certified DMD
✓🔒   Green Button Certified CMD
✓🔒   Green Button Certified™ DMD
✓🔒   Green Button Certified™ CMD
✓🔒   Green Button Certified℠ DMD
✓🔒   Green Button Certified℠ CMD

As with other herein-defined uses of Download My Data and Connect My Data, it is acceptable to visually differentiate the six words that comprise “Green Button Certified Down My Data” and “Green Button Certified Connect My Data” by using italic type for “Download My Data” and “Connect My Data” and, as in these examples:

✓🔒   Green Button Certified Download My Data (DMD)
✓🔒   Green Button Certified Connect My Data (CMD)

Additionally, the use of “Certified” marks is limited to specific products/implementations that are Certified and conforming and their use does not apply to other products/implementations made by a company that are not conforming.

🔒 “Certified” Image Marks

Always use the Certified Image Marks properly in accordance with this style guide

The following set of Guidelines must be closely adhered-to in order to protect the logos and marks.  Electronic versions of Certified Image Marks are provided upon receipt and approval of the appropriate “Green Button Certified Marks License Agreement” after certification.

🔒 Green Button Certified Image Marks and accompanying words

The Green Button Certified Image Marks are composed of two main components:

1. The graphic element:  The trademark character ™, the service mark character ℠, or the registered trademark character ® may be a part of the graphic element and shall not be moved nor removed if one of the characters is present as part of the graphic element given by the Green Button Alliance to the licensee.
       
2. The integrated words:  These are the approved words that appear as part of the graphic element.
       

No Use as Indicator of Affiliation or Endorsement

The Certified Image Marks or any combination of the Certified Image Marks with any other word, design or other element may not be used in a manner that would imply that the Green Button Alliance endorses a specific company, its products, or its services.

No Disparagement

The Certified Image Marks or any combination of the Certified Image Marks with any other word, design or other element may not be used in a manner that would disparage the Green Button Alliance.

🔒 Green Button Certified Image Marks implementation

The Certified Image Marks may be used in electronic and print advertisements and other promotional materials pertaining to the certified features as long as they are placed on or directly adjacent to the certified implementation.

Use With Implementation

The Certified Image Marks are available to denote certified capabilities. There is no mandatory requirement to use the Certified Image Marks. If they are used, however, they shall be used on or in connection with the implementation.

No Interchangeability With Descriptive Terms:

The Certified Image Marks that relate to a specific set of certified capabilities should be used only in relation to the certification process and Certified implementations. Neither the Certified Image Marks nor the Certified Word Marks are interchangeable with the general descriptive terms for the capabilities, such as but not exclusive to, “ESPI” or “EnergyEI.”

If multiple implementations are featured in an advertisement or other promotional materials and all implementations have the certified features, the Certified Image Marks may be placed anywhere in close proximity to the implementations; however, the appropriate mark must be used for the appropriate certification (i.e., the DMD Marks for a DMD implementation and the CMD Marks for a CMD implementation, as defined herein and in the Green Button Certified Marks Logo License Agreement).

If multiple implementations are featured in an advertisement or other promotional materials and some of them do not have the certified features, Certified Image Marks must be placed on or directly adjacent to the implementation or implementations with the certified features.

The Certified Marks may not be used on letterhead, business cards, or other stationery.

The Certified Marks may not be used on promotional items, except in advertisements for Certified implementations.

License Agreement Required

The Green Button Certified Marks License Agreement governing the use of the Certified Image Marks also governs the use of the Certified Word Marks: the Certified Marks; including the Green Button Alliance logo and Green Button Alliance MEMBER logo.

Prerequisites for Use of Green Button Certified Marks

In order for a company to use the Certified Marks,

1. the implementation must successfully pass Certification testing, and
2. the company must complete and comply with the post-testing administrative requirements.

Authorized Users

The Certified Marks may only be used by the company that had the implementation certified or by a contracted representative company or individual for the company in the course of business to promote the company.

Obtaining the Certified Image Marks

A company will obtain the appropriate Certified Image Marks after the company agrees to the terms of the Green Button Certified Marks License Agreement, at which time the file or files will be emailed to the responsible party.

Print version:

Electronic versions of the Certified Image Marks will be provided upon receipt of a signed Green Button Certified Marks License Agreement only after successful certification of the implementation.  The Certified Image Marks artwork should not be altered in any way, or words replaced with any others.

A variety of sizes of the Certified Image Marks can be provided.  Please contact the Green Button Alliance if you require special sizing of the Certified Image Marks.

The Certified Image Marks must each stand-alone.  A minimum amount of empty space must be left between the Certified Image Marks and any other object such as type, photography, borders, edges, etc.  The required area must be ½χ where χχχ= the height of the Certified Image Marks, as measured from the highest point on the Certified Image Marks to the baseline of mark (“0.5em”).

You may not combine the Certified Image Marks with any other feature including, but not limited to, other logos, words, graphics, photos, slogans, numbers, design features, or symbols. 

Electronic version:

You may only use the Certified Image Marks on your website or in association with such website where the mark denotes the platform specifically. The following example shows how to use versions of the Certified Image Marks in HTML code that will be displayed in your website source code:

<!-- Example Usage -->
<a href="https://cert.greenbuttonalliance.org/certificate/5a3b806d-0c69-5443-bc9d-0b8d6bddb152" 
   target="_blank"><img src="images/gbc-dmd.png" 
   alt="Green Button Certified DMD" border="0"></a>

…where “5a3b806d-0c69-5443-bc9d-0b8d6bddb152” is to be replaced by you with the unique Certification Identifier (CertID) that had been given at the time of application for Certification.  The href link will allow verification of Certification by interested parties. Where images/gbc-dmd.png will be your locally stored, appropriate Certified Image Marks file that will be send to you upon

1. signing of the License Agreement and
2. successful passing of the Certification Testing.

The Certified Image Marks must be displayed adjacent to the reference or at the bottom of the page that contains the reference.  Your website page title and other trademarks and logos must appear at-least as-prominently as the Certified Image Marks.  You may not display the Certified Image Marks in any manner that implies sponsorship, endorsement, or license by the Green Button Alliance.

The Certified Image Marks must each appear by themselves, with a minimum spacing (equivalent to 30 pixels in a standard viewer) between each side of the marks and other graphic or textual elements on your web page.  The Certified Image Marks may not be used as a feature or design element of any other logo.  However, other company and certification logos may appear on the same web page.

You may not alter the Certified Image Marks in any manner, proportions, colors, elements, and so on; or animate, morph, or otherwise distort its perspective or three-dimensional appearance.  You may alter the size of the marks retaining perspective and legibility of the text therein.

Color Treatment

The Certified Image Marks shall retain their original RGBA colors or be translated into equivalent CMYK print colors; notwithstanding that a Green Button mark may be represented in grayscale or simulated grayscale (e.g., sepia tone) only when specifically containing the typed word “Green” or “GREEN” in the image-mark and shall not ever be represented in any blue tone, which is strictly reserved for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Blue Button program.

Quality Control

The Green Button Alliance will review use of the Certified Marks by Licensee.  Upon signing the appropriate Green Button Certified Marks License Agreement, Marks Licensee is required to provide the Green Button Alliance with a copy of the trademark and logo treatment selected for use in general company literature, link, and/or screenshot of the logo placement on a website.

The Green Button Alliance reserves the right to review all general company literature for the Certified Marks and the company website and may periodically send-out requests for samples.  Refusal to submit samples or non-compliance with your Green Button Certified Marks License Agreement and with these Guidelines could result in termination of the license to use the Certified Marks.

Marks Licensee must correct any deficiencies in its use of the Certified Marks in its general company literature or website and cease and desist from further publication, distribution, or use of the materials upon reasonable notice from the Green Button Alliance.  Refusal to correct such deficiencies or to cease publication, distribution, or use could result in termination of the license to use the Green Button Certified marks. 

Please submit all samples to:

Green Button Alliance
Attention: Logo Department
PO Box 268
Jamison  PA 18929-0268
USA

or Contact us for submitting a sample via email or through a web address.