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:
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Environmental product declarations (EPDs), which show the environmental impacts of producing and disposing of a product
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Health product declarations (HPDs), which disclose ingredients and their toxicity profiles
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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.
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Five Ways Project Teams Are Using HPDs
Feature Short
An architect, a specifier, and a building owner walk into a bar. Then they talk about how ingredient transparency informs their work.
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In Search of High-Quality Hazard Data: HPDs Have Promise, but Most Aren’t Helpful Yet
Feature Short
HPD version 1.0’s promise of greater material transparency didn’t always deliver, but version 2.0 should provide accurate reporting.
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Dances with Hazards: How Real Experts Pull Human Health into Design
Feature Short
John and Catherine prove that designers can work successfully with HPDs, especially if they have a toxicology consultant to support their multi-faceted selection process.
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The Product Transparency Movement: Peeking Behind the Corporate Veil
Feature
Manufacturers are offering more product information than ever, but how can we know what to trust?
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Cradle to Cradle Gains Independence: A First Look at the 3.0 Launch
News Analysis
The new C2C standard includes greater stringency about some things and more flexibility with others.
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Chemical Risk Assessments Come to LEED v4
News Analysis
A controversial pilot credit developed with the American Chemistry Council looks into toxic exposure risk from building materials for installers and occupants.
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“Product Lens” Focuses on Whether Chemicals Can Harm Us
News Analysis
UL’s new take on ingredient transparency uses the Cradle to Cradle screening method while adding notes on exposure risks.
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Reality Check for LEED v4 Product Credits
News Analysis
The three “Disclosure and Optimization” or “BPDO” credits in LEED v4 include both some pretty easy points and points that are not yet achievable.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Transparency in Action: Health Product Declaration Ramping Up
Blog Post
Life-cycle assessment, environmental product declarations, and corporate social responsibility reporting are a great start. But can we talk about health?
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Adhesives and Sealants: Performance First, but Materials Matter
Blog Post
Exterior adhesives and sealants are formulated for performance, but some contain chemicals that pose risks to unprotected workers or the environment.
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An Embarrassment of Riches: Products and Materials at Greenbuild 2017
Blog Post
A new focus on embodied carbon and LEED v4 are driving designers to dive deep into what we choose for our buildings
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Material Transparency for LEED v4: EPDs and HPDs for Metal Studs
Blog Post
Reducing your building’s carbon footprint or health impacts? Going after new LEED credits? Transparency documents for steel studs can help.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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- You can require or exclude terms using + and -: big +blue drop will require a match on blue while big blue -drop will exclude results that contain drop.
