OVERVIEW
There are tens of thousands of unregulated chemicals used in our building products, so how do you know which ones are hazardous?
These articles look at some of the most-toxic chemicals, why they are hazardous, which product groups contain them, and alternatives to using them.
You’ll learn about:
-
the burgeoning green chemistry movement
-
tools like Health Product Declarations that tell us what’s in products
-
formaldehyde
-
polyvinyl chloride
-
bisphenol-A
-
flame retardants
-
perfluorinated compounds (PFCs)
We also offer guidance on design decisions that can reduce or eliminate the need for many of these problematic compounds.
IN-DEPTH
Filter results:
- Blog Post (4) Apply Blog Post filter
- (-) Remove Feature Article filter Feature Article
- Feature Short (7) Apply Feature Short filter
- Infographic (3) Apply Infographic filter
- (-) Remove News Analysis filter News Analysis
- (-) Remove News Brief filter News Brief
- Op-Ed (11) Apply Op-Ed filter
- Primer (26) Apply Primer filter
- Product Review (54) Apply Product Review filter
- Reports, Courses, Study Guides, Live Webinars (1) Apply Reports, Courses, Study Guides, Live Webinars filter
- Webcast (4) Apply Webcast filter
-
The Cost of Comfort: Climate Change and Refrigerants
Feature Article
Refrigerants with very high global warming potential can negate the energy-efficiency benefits of many HVAC systems, including popular heat pumps.
-
Better Steel, Lower Impacts
Feature Article
Steel’s reputation for high embodied energy and carbon emissions are well documented, but improvements in processing, product selection, and end use can minimize these impacts.
-
Pest Prevention: Steps Designers Can Take
Feature Article
Integrated pest management (IPM) design strategies can reduce structural damage and unsanitary conditions, and improve our community’s health.
-
VOCs: Why They’re Still Here and What You Can Do About It
Feature Article
“Sick building syndrome” was one of the first problems the green building community tried to solve. We’ve come a long way, but we’re not done yet.
-
Protect Your Spec: 14 Strategies
Feature Article
You’ve selected the ideal materials for your project: now get them into the building.
-
The Great Eight: High-Impact Material Choices for Green Building
Feature Article
We’re at a tipping point in insulation, flooring, textiles, and other product categories. Here’s what to spec and what to avoid.
-
A Guide to Selecting Sustainable Textiles
Feature Article
Textiles’ good looks hide an ugly environmental legacy, but there are five straightforward ways to make responsible design choices.
-
What Makes the Building Envelope Green? BuildingGreen’s Guide to Thermal & Moisture Protection Products
Feature Article
From insulation to flashing tape to cladding, we look at the attributes of the greenest building envelope products.
-
Finding Furniture Without Toxic Flame Retardants
Feature Article
Flame retardants in upholstered furniture are easier to avoid under new rules, but they’re not gone. Here’s how to navigate the changing landscape.
-
Take Control of Your Materials: Four Empowering Lessons from Teams That Beat the Red List
Feature Article
Need to streamline your product vetting process? These LBC project teams have it down to a science, and anyone can apply their methods.