Material Transparency
Material transparency allows building professionals to research hidden product impacts like embodied carbon, toxic ingredients or byproducts, and social responsibility in the supply chain.
Manufacturers may release many types of documents in order to facilitate transparency. These include:
-
Environmental product declarations (EPDs), which show the environmental impacts of producing and disposing of a product
-
Health product declarations (HPDs), which disclose ingredients and their toxicity profiles
-
Corporate sustainability reports, which look at the overall environmental impacts of a whole company
Material Transparency
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
-
What’s an HPD? Health Product Declaration FAQs
Feature Short
We answer frequently asked questions on HPDs, which allow manufacturers to disclose product ingredients and hazards.
-
Finding Products for LEED v4 and v4.1
Feature Article
Finding and managing product information for LEED has changed—and v4.1 has added even more to think about.
-
Why Chemical Transparency Matters
Feature Article
You can’t manage what you don’t measure—especially if you don’t know it exists in the first place.
-
EPDs Are the Future of the Building Industry, Whether You Like It or Not
Feature Article
Environmental product declarations are taking off, but can they actually fly? Experts share the ups and downs of this promising but imperfect transparency tool.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
-
EPD Quick-Start Guide: 5 Easy Steps
Infographic
Use these tips to get what you need from an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), fast.
-
The 8 Shades of Greenwash: How Many Do You Recognize?
Infographic
Most building products these days have an environmental angle to their sales pitches. Many are legit, but as ever, you still have to watch for the telltale signs of greenwash—the practice of inventing or exaggerating the environmental benefits of a product.
-
HPD Quick-Start Guide: 5 Easy Steps
Infographic
How to get solid information from a Health Product Declaration (HPD), in just five steps.
-
The 12 Product Rules
Infographic
These 12 product rules provide a simple approach to selecting better, healthier, and more environmentally responsible building products and materials.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
-
A New Halogen-Free Polyiso Insulation from GAF
Product Review
GAF now offers a full line of polyisocyanurate foam insulation that is free of toxic halogenated flame retardants.
-
Mineral Wool Batts Now Formaldehyde-Free
Product Review
Thermafiber and Roxul have introduced the first formaldehyde-free mineral wool batt insulations, following the example set by the fiberglass insulation industry.
-
Fiberglass, XPS, Cork? Insulation Options for LEED v4 and Living Buildings
Product Review
Choosing insulation with an eye to points in LEED v4 or Living Building Challenge compliance? Here’s how insulation materials compare.
-
Unmilled Timber Frames Go High Tech, Replacing Steel
Product Review
Keep the beauty of round logs, and get more strength from an engineered wood structure, promises Wisconsin-based company WholeTrees.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
Finding Better Materials for Affordable Housing
News Brief
The International Living Future Institute’s Declare database has added two filters to help find products that meet Enterprise Green Communities criteria.
-
A Platform for Sharing Product Circularity Data
News Brief
The Product Circularity Data Sheet is a new way to track product ingredients and other circular design features, and is now available through Toxnot.
-
New Directions for Mindful Materials
News Brief
More than a database, mindful Materials is taking on an advocacy and convener role focused on healthy and sustainable materials.
-
Trust, but Verify: How to Get the Most from Transparency Docs
News Analysis
Third-party verification of HPDs and Declare labels is a growing trend. Is it growing fast enough?
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
-
Google Goes Public with Ambitious Carpet Tile Standard
Blog Post
With a new procurement program, Google adopted comprehensive sustainability requirements for modular carpet tile that raise the bar for major manufacturers.
-
A Manufacturer’s Guide to a Successful Sustainability Platform
Op-Ed
Manufacturers have a unique role in sustainable building and LEED—and they don’t need to leave profits behind. Here’s a manufacturer’s guide to improving and promoting green products.
-
Thanks To You, Transparency is Reaching Deeper into the Supply Chain
Op-Ed
The A&D community’s “ask” for ingredient transparency continues to move entire industries toward healthier products, especially now with the Supplier HPD.
-
Let’s Talk: Mainstreaming Transparency Takes More than Letters
Op-Ed
To move the building industry toward greener products, there are two big things we need to do.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
-
The BuildingGreen Guide to Building Product Certifications and Ecolabels- Discounted
Special Report
This BuildingGreen publication provides a no-nonsense guide to the world of green building product certifications to help designers, purchasers, manufacturers, and others in the industry to focus on what is significant and relevant so that market forces can work and the industry can focus on bigger issues.
-
The BuildingGreen Guide to Building Product Certifications and Ecolabels
Special Report
This BuildingGreen publication provides a no-nonsense guide to the world of green building product certifications to help designers, purchasers, manufacturers, and others in the industry to focus on what is significant and relevant so that market forces can work and the industry can focus on bigger issues.
-
Finding Products for LEED v4 and v4.1
Feature Article
Finding and managing product information for LEED has changed—and v4.1 has added even more to think about.
-
Finding Products for LEED v4 and v4.1
Spotlight Report
