Material Health

Pursuing material health in the building industry involves avoiding or eliminating toxic chemicals from building products. Toxic chemicals are those that can bring harm to factory workers, installers, or building occupants. There are tens of thousands of unregulated chemicals used in our building products, and they can increase the risk of everything from asthma to obesity to cancer.

Materials containing these toxic chemicals include carpet, insulation, wet-applied products like adhesives and sealants, and many others. It’s possible to improve material health through better design decisions and product selections.

Material Health

Deep Dives

Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.


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  • Can We Replace Foam Insulation?

    Feature Article

    There are a lot of reasons to avoid foam, but its high performance can make it a hard habit to kick, as designers are finding out.

  • Innovative Products and Technology from the Greenbuild Expo

    Feature Article

    Our product editors pick some winners from the expo floor at Greenbuild 2013 while raising questions about some materials.

  • The PVC Debate: A Fresh Look

    Feature Article

    PVC is banned by some green building programs and simply reviled by some groups. How did we get here, and has anything changed since vinyl became the enemy?

  • Behind the Logos: Understanding Green Product Certifications

    Feature Article

    The number of environmental product standards and certifications is growing rapidly, putting numerous different "green" logos on products. This article reviews the key programs and evaluates their rigor, and offers guidance in using them to accomplish project goals.

Quick Takes

Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.


Product Guidance

Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.


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  • Hands-Free Parking

    Product Review

    The AutoMotion Parking System creates an automated parking garage, offering advantages including indoor environmental quality benefits.

  • SierraPine Bets on Phenolic Particleboard

    Product Review

    Encore particleboard, containing 100% recycled wood fiber, is made with a phenol-formaldehyde binder.

  • Carnegie Introduces Surface IQ Wallcoverings

    Product Review

    Surface IQ polyethylene wallcoverings use natural clay fire retardants and offer optional microperforations to reduce the risk of moisture buildup.

  • Search for Green Wiring Gets a LifeGuard

    Product Review

    Although not yet widely used in building applications, LifeGuard nonhalogenated cable offers a green alternative to PVC cable.

In The News

We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.


Perspective

Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.


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Learning Resources

Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.


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Just For Fun

Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...


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