Issuu

2026

WHY

General

What We Avoid (and Why)

Targeted Product Categories

Low-Emitting (VOC) Standards

Verifying Goals

Become Familiar With Future Steps

WHY

As a signatory of the AIA Materials Pledge and as part of our HLW Healthy Materials Initiative has committed to using products in our projects that support people and the planet. As architects and designers, we have an opportunity to improve the health of people and the environment through intentional product choices.

The HLW Healthy Materials Initiative establishes criteria aimed at removing targeted chemicals of concern in products and prioritizing products that have industry-accepted health and sustainability certifications.

As an initial step toward our healthy materials goals, we are prioritizing specific product categories by avoiding:

Antimicrobials

Flame Retardants

Added Formaldehyde

We also aim for all targeted categories to meet low-emitting criteria to support indoor air quality and occupant well-being.

Product Categories

Fabrics

Acoustical Ceilings

Resilient Flooring

Carpeting

Paints and Coatings

Wood (Optional)

PBTs

Two of our targeted chemical categories: Antimicrobials and Flame Retardants are classified as PBTs

01 Persistent, Bio-accumulative Toxic pollutants (PBTs) are highly toxic, long-lasting substances that can build up in the food chain to levels that are harmful to human and ecosystem health.

02 Reducing risks from PBTs is particularly challenging due to their ability to travel long distances, transfer easily among air, water, and land, and remain in the environment for extended periods without breaking down.

03 Antimicrobials and Flame Retardants are widely used to prevent microbial growth and reduce fire risk; however, when they meet PBT criteria, their persistence and tendency to accumulate in living organisms can increase exposure over time and pose risks to both people and wildlife.

PVCs

01 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the most widely used plastic polymer in the USA. The building industry uses 75% of the 14 billion pounds produced yearly.

02 Throughout its entire lifecycle, PVC is responsible for a greater share of the nation's annual dioxin burden than any other industrial product.

03 Dioxin one of the most potent carcinogen known to man is an unavoidable by product of production. It is also reproductive toxin and an endocrine disruptor.

04 Because of its versatility and low cost, PVC is used extensively across industries — it is present in a wide range of everyday building materials and products.

From our chosen categories, we find it in:

01 Resilient Flooring

Most commonly in vinyl flooring

02 Carpeting

Most commonly in backings

03 Fabrics

Synthetic fabrics such as petroleum based polyester

Antimicrobials

01 Antimicrobial chemicals are added to products to kill or stop the growth of microbes, but many are highly toxic to the environment and some are harmful to humans. Their overuse can disturb the healthy microbes on our skin and in our bodies and can contribute to “superbugs” – bacteria that no longer respond to medical treatment. They are also known reproductive toxins and endocrine disruptors.

02 When antimicrobials are built into materials, they typically offer little real‑world benefit in everyday use.

03 Some antimicrobial ingredients are also used as pesticides, so they bring many of the same health and environmental concerns as bug‑killing chemicals.

From our chosen categories, we find it in:

01 Fabrics

02 Acoustical Ceilings

03 Paints and Coatings

It is extremely difficult to find any of these products that do not contain antimicrobials.

Are they helping us or harming us?

To find out: Antimicrobials l Six Classes

Flame Retardants

01 Flame retardants have been shown to cause neurological damage, hormone disruption, and cancer. One of the biggest dangers of some flame retardants is that they bioaccumulate in humans, causing long ‑ term chronic health problems as bodies contain higher and higher levels of these toxic chemicals.

Six Classes Website From our

01 Fabrics Are they helping us or harming us?

Climbing Toward a Healthier, Toxic ‑ Free Future | Arlene Blum

Added Formaldehyde

01 Formaldehyde is highly toxic to humans. Short-term exposure irritates the eyes and nose, and can cause shortness of breath, headaches, and nausea. Long-term exposure causes impaired lung function, eczema, sleep disturbance, impaired memory, and menstrual irregularity. Formaldehyde is known to be a human carcinogen with risks for nasopharyngeal cancer, myeloid leukemia, and other forms of cancer.

Wood Laminations

Low-Emitting (VOC) Requirements

WHY?

All applicable product categories are required to meet low-emitting (VOC) criteria. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals released into the air from indoor products and materials, and can contribute to poor indoor air quality and long-term health risks through inhalation.

01 This requirement applies to a range of commonly used products, including paints, coatings, sealants, adhesives, ceilings, floorings, wall panels, insulation and furnishings. These products must be evaluated through recognized third-party testing standards that measure emissions of key VOCs of concern, including formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, hexane, and methylene chloride.

02 The focus is on limiting compounds that pose potential chronic health risks, particularly those that can accumulate in indoor environments over time. By prioritizing materials that meet established low-emission thresholds, we aim to reduce occupant exposure to harmful airborne chemicals and create healthier interior spaces.

03 Compliance is demonstrated through third-party certifications or validated test reports aligned with industry standards, ensuring consistency and accountability across all targeted categories.

Certification and Evidence Chart

01 Qualifying third-party verified VOC emissions evaluations follow the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method v1.2

02 This test establishes performance criteria for specific chemicals of interest (chemicals appearing on State of California lists of toxic substances). These criteria are specifically for evaluating potential chronic health risks from inhalation exposures of vapor phase organic chemicals.

03 Designated product types are tested to measure their outcomes, ensuring that products do not exceed maximum allowable concentrations for toxic chemicals.

Six Classes of Harmful Chemicals

01 Many harmful chemicals used in everyday products fall into six primary classes. By understanding their health impacts, typical applications, and pathways of exposure, we can make more informed decisions and avoid them in the built environment.

Six Classes Website