Read this before remodeling....Low-VOC paint tops product tests

An eco-friendly, low-VOC paint bested 50 other paints to be named the best paint in Consumer Reports’ latest Best and Worst Products round up.
The noted consumer testing magazine named Behr Premium Plus Ultra ($34 at Home Depot) the best paint out of 51 tested. The magazine noted that this was the first time that an environmentally-friendly brand beat out all the other paints. Also, the paint primes and paints in one coat, according to the magazine.
Greener paints are becoming more popular and can mean less work, according to the magazine. Many low-VOC paints provided thorough coverage with just one coat, something only two low-VOC paints managed in the last round of tests. But Consumer Reports cautioned that low-VOC paints aren’t necessarily odorless, so consumers should plan on adequate ventilation.
“Paints have advanced in their ability to perform and be green,” said Bob Markovich, senior home editor for Consumer Reports.  “Our tests demonstrate that painting no longer needs to be expensive and time consuming as long as the consumer invests in the correct paint for their project.”
VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemicals in paint released into the air during application to surfaces. VOCs can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and potentially cause asthma, cancer, and heart disease. Airborne chemicals are released during application of the paint, and continue after the paint is dry. They can also pollute the air when the paint is removed.
Low VOC or zero VOC paints use water as a base instead of traditional, petroleum-based oil solvents. Low VOC and zero VOC paints have fewer VOCs, however, are not completely free of chemicals that can cause environmental pollution.
Paints that carry the Green Seal, a certification from the non-profit organization that certifies green products, have been tested to meet precise environmental standards. Paints that carry the Green Seal must have VOC contents below 100g/L for a non-flat finish and 50 g/L for a flat finish. The Green Seal VOC limit for primers and floor paints is also 100 g/L, while reflective wall coatings can't exceed the 50 g/L mark.
For more information, see our Low-VOC Paint Research Center.