Specifying healthy materials

By the end of this module you will be able to understand:

• The impact of specifying materials on human health and indoor environmental quality
• The six classes of harmful chemicals and their potential impacts on human health
• What the term "healthy" means in relation to materials in the built environment
• The harmful impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the importance of considering off-gassing in buildings
• Third-party certifications and labels, such as Cradle 2 Cradle certification, Living Building Challenge, Declare and Health Product Declarations (HPDs) and how these can be used to specify healthier materials
• The AIA Healthy Materials Pledge's five priority sections: human health, social health and equity, ecosystem health, climate health and circular economy
• How to use existing frameworks such as LEED, WELL and BREEAM to set measurable targets on projects
• How to develop a Healthy Materials Protocol and library
• The characteristics of greenwashing and how communication with manufacturers can bring about change
• The sustainability and wellness benefits of natural materials like hemp, cork, mycelium and Maharam textiles
• The potential of Materials Passports, Building Donor Schemes, and Take Back Programmes in reducing carbon, encouraging a circular economy and increasing material health
• Environmental Protection Regulations, Indoor Air Quality Standards and gaps in regulations and rating systems
• The impact of specifying healthy materials on staff well-being and in meeting environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) targets