mindful MATERIALS: Human Health
Some chemicals used in our buildings can harm factory employees, people in fenceline communities, and jobsite workers. After construction, many types of products can benefit occupants—or put them at risk. Our resources help you leverage ingredient knowledge, wellness insights, and certain certifications for human health-focused decision making. By preferring products that support and foster life throughout their life cycles, practitioners drive efforts to eliminate the use of hazardous substances.
mindful MATERIALS: Human Health
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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How to Access the Full Power of Biophilia
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People wither physically and mentally without nature. Biophilic design is a remedy and a foundation for regenerative design all at the same time.
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Keeping PFAS Forever Chemicals out of Building Products
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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been linked to negative health and environmental impacts. Getting them out of our building products is going to require work.
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Build Green on a Budget: Lessons from Affordable Housing
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Sustainability doesn’t have to cost more—and no one knows that better than affordable housing experts. But every project type can benefit from these 12 cost-reducing ideas that support people and the planet.
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LEED and WELL Product Labels: A Guide and Analysis
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LEED and WELL encourage a lot of different programs for green products. Learn the essentials—plus what’s behind the labels.
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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Blanket and Batt Insulation
Product Guide
Batts and aerogel blankets with high recycled content, reduced air-quality concerns, or superior performance
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Blown Insulation
Product Guide
Blown-in products with high recycled content, superior energy performance, and low-toxicity ingredients
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Board Insulation
Product Guide
These insulation products and thermal breaks provide superior thermal performance and avoid common chemical hazards.
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Ceiling Systems
Product Guide
Low-emitting acoustical and specialty ceiling systems made from sustainably sourced materials
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Maine Outlawed PFAS in Everything: How Will That Work?
News Analysis
With a recent Maine regulation, PFAS “forever chemicals” are regulated as a category—not chemical by chemical.
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A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity to Green Public Schools
News Analysis
With federal funds flooding in, the industry can transform K–12 education in the next three years—but only if we do it right.
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Grounding the AIA Materials Pledge in Data
News Analysis
With a Common Materials Framework, mindful Materials is mapping product labels to industry commitments.
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Can “Works with WELL” Make Product Selection Easier?
News Analysis
The International WELL Building Institute has launched a new program to help users find building products and systems that align with WELL feature requirements.
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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Build Green on a Budget: Lessons from Affordable Housing
Spotlight Report
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Biobased Building Materials: the Hype, the Hope, the … Hemp?
Webcast
This webcast explores the promising future of biobased materials in commercial construction.
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Affordable Housing or Green Housing? We Can Say Yes to Both
Webcast
Yes, available funding for building and rehabilitating affordable housing is inadequate—but that’s all the more reason to get this right when we get the chance.
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Selecting Optimized Products for LEED Projects
Webcast
This pragmatic webinar walks you through the v4.1 version of the three Materials & Resources credits that encourage product-related disclosure and optimization.
