OVERVIEW
It’s easy to select a product from a catalog without thinking about where it comes from. But if you care about hidden impacts like embodied carbon, toxic ingredients or byproducts, or social responsibility in the supply chain, a lack of information from manufacturers can hinder your selection process.
We offer tips, insights, and analysis on all these issues and more. We also look at:
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the quality of the information that’s available to you
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why it’s so hard to get
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what makes it important
- and even what to do with the data once you have it
IN-DEPTH
Filter results:
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Declare Labels: Now with Improved Data and Verification
October 8, 2018News Brief
A new partnership between the International Living Future Institute and Toxnot will help manufacturers provide better-quality health information.
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Let’s Talk: Mainstreaming Transparency Takes More than Letters
August 6, 2018Op-Ed
To move the building industry toward greener products, there are two big things we need to do.
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Manufacturers to Architects: Buy Greener Products or They May Go Away
August 6, 2018News Analysis
Designers asked for transparency and got it. Now they need to follow through with specs, say producers.
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A Chemical Database and Discussion Group in One
July 9, 2018News Brief
The Chemical Hazard Data Commons is a resource on toxic chemicals for geeks and newbies alike.
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Material Transparency for LEED v4: EPDs and HPDs for Metal Studs
May 22, 2018Blog Post
Reducing your building’s carbon footprint or health impacts? Going after new LEED credits? Transparency documents for steel studs can help.
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Concrete Pours through Loophole in New Carbon Law
January 6, 2018News Analysis
Buy Clean California requires contractors to specify lower-carbon products, but industry pressure quashed the law’s potential.
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Why Chemical Transparency Matters
November 2, 2015Feature Article
You can’t manage what you don’t measure—especially if you don’t know it exists in the first place.
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EPDs Are the Future of the Building Industry, Whether You Like It or Not
August 3, 2015Feature 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.
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Materials Transparency & LEED
December 6, 2017Webcast
This deep dive into the three Building Product Disclosure and Optimization (BPDO) credits in LEED v4 provides the rationale for why product choices are so important, the details on how to achieve points within the three credits, and which options you shouldn't bother pursuing.
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Cool Products from the Latest Greenbuild Expo
December 1, 2014Feature Article
We scoured the Greenbuild expo floor for the best new products and the most interesting updates. Then we whittled it down to these standouts.
