Product Transparency: the Brave New World · 2015. 12. 17. · Product Transparency: the Brave New...
Transcript of Product Transparency: the Brave New World · 2015. 12. 17. · Product Transparency: the Brave New...
Product Transparency:
the Brave New World
Health Product
Declaration Collaborative
Nadav MalinPresident
TM
Aaron SmithDirector, Sustainable Building Solutions
Jennifer AtleeTechnical Liason
Art: Guy Billout, from GreenSource magazine
NESEA is a registered provider with the American Institute of
Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on
completion of this program will be reported to CES Records
for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA
members will be mailed at the completion of the conference.
This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.
Session Description
There is a rapidly growing movement within the building products industry to embrace transparency and avoid using toxic chemicals. Programs like the Health Product Declaration (HPD) are empowering consumers to demand transparency and creating new platforms for manufacturers to communicate. The panel will provide an overview of the initiatives driving the movement, analyze the persistent barriers to transparency from the manufacturer perspectives and outline how market leading companies are embracing programs to connect with consumers.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
1. Describe what transparency means in the context of building materials.
2. Explain how Environmental Product Declarations and Health Product Declarations differ.
3. List at least three programs that encourage product content transparency.
4. Describe how transparency can save us from drowning in red lists.
The Age of Transparency is Here • A major focus of green building standards and codes is
transparency• Implies openness, communication, and accountability• Accessibility of information such as product chemical
content, health and environmental impacts• Balance of responsible transparency and interpretation
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Why Materials Matter
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1
2
3
4
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Operating Impacts
Embodied Impacts
Relative Embodied Impacts
Ecology of Building Materials
The Earth
Extractionprocess
Metals, chemicals,
cement, firedclay, fibre, sawn timber,
etc.
Refiningprocess
Materials,climatic materials, surface materials,
surface treatment
Buildingprocess
Building
UseWasteDumping
Recycling Re-use
Ore, stone, clay, oil, timber,
plants, etc.
MiningDrilling
Harvesting
Ore
Oil
Timber
Bjorn Berge
Life Cycle Assessment
The Earth
Extractionprocess
Metals, chemicals,
cement, firedclay, fibre, sawn timber,
etc.
Refiningprocess
Materials,climatic materials, surface materials,
surface treatment
Buildingprocess
Building
UseWasteDumping
Recycling Re-use
Ore, stone, clay, oil, timber,
plants, etc.
MiningDrilling
Harvesting
Ore
Oil
Timber
Resources
Emissions
Bjorn Berge
Resources
Emissions
Resources
Emissions
Resources
Emissions
Resources
Emissions
The best of intentions……
WHY HPDs?
Legal
“Ask about the
formaldehyde content
of pressed wood
products, including
building
materials, cabinetry, an
d furniture before you
purchase”
– US EPA
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html
Urea Formaldehyde
Legal
are monitored through the EPA Toxic Release Inventory.
have been tested for threats to human health and safety.
From the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
chemicals registered in the United States.
US Chemicals Policy: By the Numbers8
2,0
00
65
0
20
0
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were BANNED.
EU’s REACH Program
• 22 substances on “authorisation list”
– Companies have to get authorization to use them.
• > 100 on “candidate list”
– Being considered for authorisation list
The Problem with Red Lists
The Benefits of Transparency
The path to understand & communicate product hazards
Product Exposure
Assessment
Ingredient Hazard
Full Assessment
Ingredient Hazard
List Screening
Product Content
InventoryWhat is inside?
Is it a listed hazard?
What else can we learn?
Is it a positive ingredient?
Who will be exposed?
What forms are hazardous?
Living Building Challenge Support
• International Living Future Institute’s Declare label
• Product contents
• Red list status
Cradle to Cradle
• Multi-attribute certification developed by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC)
• Now run by Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute (C2CPII)
• No public disclosure of ingredients or hazards required
HARMONIZATION: HOW THE PROGRAMS WORK TOGETHER
Product Exposure
Assessment
Ingredient Hazard
Full Assessment
Ingredient Hazard
List Screening
Product Content
Inventory
DIY
Ask
A
Pro
HPD Collaborative
THE HPD Collaborative Guild: Education and Outreach
MANUFACTURERS ADVISORY PANEL: 58 and counting!
No More Black Boxes
Not long ago there was little expectation that we’d know what products are made of.
That information was for the manufacturer* alone.
And any risks were addressed by government regulations**
Not anymore. Now we can ask to see what’s inside. And we’re all safer for it.
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*Actually, they don’t often what’s inside either, since they get stuff from other manufacturers.**In the U.S., regulations don’t allow the government to test for safety of most chemicals until it’s too late.
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Oh, intrepid explorer
Where to now?
1. Legal issues with transparency2. Origins of the transparency
movement3. How the Health Product
Declaration works4. How LEED v4 encourages
transparency
• Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA)• Disclosure and transparency• Take-back programs (extended producer responsibility)
LEED v4: A More Sophisticated Look at Materials
Where a product is made, how it’s made and what’s in it are becoming paramount.
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Oh, intrepid explorer
Where to now?
1. Legal issues with transparency2. Origins of the transparency
movement3. How the Health Product
Declaration works4. How LEED v4 encourages
transparency
USING THE HPD
Health Product DeclarationCollaborativeTM
WHY HPDs?
Educate
Educate yourself
• Take the time to really learn the issues
• Determine how you want to use transparency and transparency tools
– Ask experts you trust
Educate your firm• Once you feel you know enough
spread your thoughts, have in-house events
Collaborate
Make new friends.
• If manufacturers can use experts to help fill out HPDs then you can get help to interpret and use HPDs:
• Environmental hygienists
• Chemists
• Doctors
• Lawyers
LEGAL
Legal
The AIA Official Guide to the AIA Contract Documents - Wiley
Professional Performance
The performance of licensed design professionals, such as architects, is measured by two factors:
1. Contract - A design professional is required to perform the services described in the agreement with the owner; this is a contractual standard, and if those services are not performed, the design professional can be held in breach of its contract.
1. Standard of Care - The manner in which those services are performed is judged by the professional standard of care, which is a standard embodied in tort (negligence) law. Under this standard, the design professional is held to use the same degree of care as is ordinarily practiced by other similarly situated design professionals in that discipline.
Legal
Large Firm Roundtable – Legal Committee
Oh, intrepid explorer
Where to now?
1. Legal issues with transparency2. Origins of the transparency
movement3. How the Health Product
Declaration works4. How LEED v4 encourages
transparency
STANDARD DETAILS
Health Product DeclarationCollaborativeTM
XX
XXXX
Oh, intrepid explorer
Where to now?
1. Legal issues with transparency2. Origins of the transparency
movement3. How the Health Product
Declaration works4. How LEED v4 encourages
transparency
Oh, intrepid explorer
Where to now?
1. Legal issues with transparency2. Origins of the transparency
movement3. How the Health Product
Declaration works4. How LEED v4 encourages
transparency
This concludes the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems Program
Thank You!
Aaron C. Smith, LEED AP BD+CDirector Sustainable Building SolutionsASSA ABLOY Door Security [email protected]
Jennifer Atlee
Technical Director
Health Product Declaration Collaborative
Jennifer Atlee [email protected]
Nadav Malin
LEED Fellow
President
BuildingGreen, Inc.