About | Habitable | Celebrating Two Decades of Impact with Habitable

ABOUT

Celebrating two decades of impact.

Dear Earth,

We want to do right by you.

We’re not proud of the scars we’ve left on your surface. We realize we’ve hurt you deeply and feel compelled to do something about it.

We’ve seen firsthand the consequences of our choices, and the impact they’ve had on the health of our climate and communities has been eye-opening, to say the least.

We know it’s not enough to apologize—so we’re also committed to changing how we act. It’s clear our relationship with stuff has hurt you, so going forward we promise to better prioritize your needs first in our decision-making. We want to think less about what we can get from you, and more about how we can be in balance with you, and each other.

From here on out, we’re committed to doing everything we can to make this world a safer and healthier place where all of us can thrive. While we can’t undo the things we’ve done, we can begin by changing what we do next.

Here’s to looking forward,
Habitable

Unpack our impact.

Since 2000, we have pursued our mission and vision through three fronts: pollution reduction; climate change mitigation; equity and justice.

In the 20+ years since its founding, Habitable (formerly Healthy Building Network) has innovated actionable solutions that leverage market influence for scaled impact. Our ambition is to reimagine the materials economy in service of human and planetary health. Whether through our own research and tools, or those fostered by the Habitable Innovation Hub, we take pride in being at the forefront of developing new models of chemical transparency and data integrity rooted in independent, public access to information. As we look ahead, we also want to highlight the milestones that are part of our past.

2003

Arsenic in Treated Lumber
Campaign Success

HBN-led campaign leads EPA to order  arsenic phase out, resulting in dramatic  decrease across US.

Partner Environmental Working Group

Win!

Reduced the amount of imported arsenic used in the US from over twenty metric tons annually to ~six, reducing hazards to our drinking water, to children and workers in the US, and arsenic smelters in China.

2004

PVC-free
Carpet Challenge

We supported industry leaders’ phaseout of PVC in carpet, leading to development of PVC-free alternatives.

Partner Kaiser Permanente

2009

Pharos
Launched

First-of-its-kind chemical hazard database revealing health and environmental impacts. In 2009, Pharos was honored with a US EPA Environmental Award.

Win!

Since its founding, Pharos has grown to incorporate over 200,000 chemicals.

2012

HPD Open Standard Launched

HBN launched the Health Product Declaration (HPD) Working Group in 2011. In 2012, the Health Product Declaration Collaborative was founded and v1.0 of the HPD Open Standard officially released.

Partner Building Green

Win!

First standardized format for disclosing product content and health hazards.

2015

Formaldehyde in Insulation Campaign Success

As of 2015, all light density residential fiberglass insulation made in the U.S. and Canada eliminated the use of formaldehyde-based binders.

Partner Global Health and Safety Initiative, Kaiser Permanente, Health Care Without Harm, and others

Win!

The phase out resulted in a 90% drop in formaldehyde releases from these factories between 2005 and 2014.

2015

Phase-Out of Phthalates at Leading Retailers

Leading building products retailers commit to eliminating phthalates from vinyl floors sold across their stores.

Partner Mind the Store campaign—a coalition of environmental groups including Ecology Center, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, and Environmental Health Strategy Center

Win!

Four years after this commitment, testing found that retailers including Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Lumber Liquidators remained committed to this goal, resulting in the avoidance of tens of millions of pounds of phthalates annually.

2016

Affordable Housing Cohort Launched

Cohort branded “HomeFree” launched to organize the affordable housing sector in leading safer materials policy and co-creating solutions.

Win!

Engaged in demonstration projects covering 450 units in six regions on healthier material selection.

2017

12 Chemicals of Concern Eliminated

Home Depot acknowledged our research influenced removal of 12 chemicals of concern from products sold throughout global supply chain.

2023

Informed™ Launched

We launched life cycle approach to evaluating and selecting healthier building products at scale.

The faces behind Habitable.

Our team embodies a shared commitment to driving positive change and redesigning our relationship with the planet. Through diverse backgrounds, they bring to life our mission to create a healthier, more habitable world.

Lindsy “LB” Bissonnette

Gina Ciganik

Cassidy Clarity

Sarah Gilberg

Bruce Green

Ryan Johnson

Wei-Yung Liu

Teresa McGrath

Sarah Pickell

Priya Premchandran

Rebecca Stamm

Nicolette Stosur-Bassett

Roberto Valle Kinloch

Guiding forces that steer us.

Habitable’s board members bring a wealth of experience and expertise to our mission. Their collective vision, rooted in environmental stewardship and social responsibility, provides invaluable guidance and strategic direction.