FIRST - DO NO HARM

Submitted by Adrian on Mon, 05/18/2015 - 07:21

The following are some tools that help either provides information on those materals that the sustainable design community feels are most "harmful" and/or provides information on products that limit their usage.

LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE
Though a much broader tool to address sustainable architecture and design as a whole (along the USGBC LEED program), the LBC has a couple of very straight forward and FREE tools.  This group has grouped 14 "Worst in Class" chemicals and elments and put them on their RED LIST.  They are also developing a database of products that either are free of RED LIST materials, or at the very least declare what their ingredients are.  This database can be found at DECLARE.
 
HPD COLLABORATIVE
This organization is built around the sharing of information on material content in products... and is becoming the UL or Material Declaration.  By building on the work of national agencies, private institutions and international organziations, the HPD COLLABORATIVE uses previously established classes of harmful materials, and cooperates with industry so that these ingredient (either their absence or presence) is noted.  For a detailed examination of this program, you can visit the link at HPD COLLABORATIVE.
 
PERKINS & WILL PRECAUTIONARY LIST
As with the RED LIST from the LBC, Perkins & Will put together a list of harmful materials, which calls out ichemicals to avoid, it provides background on the harmful effects and offers less harmful alternatives.  For instance, if you visit the PRECAUTIONARY LIST, you will notice BPA.  If you click on BPA it will not only explain its toxicity, but recommends PET as an alternative.  The list is open to anyone that simply agrees to the "terms of use."