NEW REPORTAdvancing Health and Equity Through Better Building Products
HealthHistoric redlining and the siting of oil and gas wells in the United States
Report
This report explores the association between racially discriminatory housing practices from the 1930s and exposure to oil and gas wells, highlighting the impact of structural racism on environmental exposure disparities in urban areas.
HealthRace, Racism, and Drinking Water Contamination Risk From Oil and Gas Wells in Los Angeles County, 2020
Report
This report evaluates the risk of drinking water contamination in Los Angeles County, California, based on the proximity of supply wells to oil and gas wells, highlighting disparities in risk based on race/ethnicity and measures of structural racism.
PollutionPlastic pollution at each life stage
Report
This fact sheet provides an overview over plastic pollution at each life stage: from resource extraction all the way to removal and remediation.
HealthHealthy, Climate-Resilient Homes for All: Centering Housing Justice and Health Equity in Building Decarbonization
Report
This report emphasizes the need for equitable building decarbonization efforts, highlighting the importance of centering the perspectives of vulnerable communities to address long-standing inequities in housing quality and health disparities exacerbated by current policies.
HealthPFAS in Paints
Report
HBN tested 94 commercially available paint products for the presence of harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), called “forever chemicals”. Approximately 50% of paints tested positive for fluorine, a marker of PFAS. Review the details of our findings and the recommended actions you can take.
HealthEmbodied Carbon and Material Health in Insulation
Report
HBN and Perkins&Will have released a second report aimed at transforming the way project teams select sustainable, low-carbon products. Building on the first report titled “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Gypsum Drywall and Flooring,” a second report investigating the intersection of carbon and material health is titled “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Insulation”.
Insulation is a unique product category that can help reduce a building’s operational carbon emissions by optimizing performance, lowering the energy required for heating and cooling. Those same materials can also negatively impact the environment by releasing greenhouse gasses throughout their life cycle. Insulation can also contain toxic chemicals that migrate into interior spaces. This report provides guidance for designers and architects to choose the best materials that takes materials health and embodied carbon into consideration.
Key Highlights from the reports include:
- Optimized Products for Material Health and Embodied Carbon: The reports show that products improving material health and embodied carbon are available across all the examined product categories: flooring, gypsum drywall, and insulation.
- Screening for Optimized Product Types: Professionals are advised to first screen for optimized product types before selecting specific products. This approach helps teams capitalize on the fact that the biggest improvements can be made by selecting different product types within a product category.
- Navigating Potential Contradictions: Acknowledging that embodied carbon and material health considerations are sometimes contradictory, the reports emphasize the importance of reviewing the provided guidance to make informed decisions.
The reports represent a significant step forward in sustainable design practices, offering actionable insights that empower professionals to make environmentally conscious choices without compromising on carbon or health priorities.
HealthPFAS Doctor’s Perspective
Report
Pediatric physician, Dr. Nicholas Newman, discusses his experience treating patients impacted by PFAS in this video by the Great Lakes Center for Reproductive and Children’s Environmental Health.
EquityGlass Fibers in Fiberglass Insulation
Report
In this case study, Healthy Building Network and Energy Efficiency for All teamed up to apply a framework for considering life cycle chemical and environmental justice impacts to the primary component of fiberglass insulation: glass fibers.
The case study explores the chemical hazards associated with the manufacture of glass fibers and the localized impacts that facilities have on communities and workers. It includes an example of chemical movements within the supply chain and highlights end of life scenarios for fiberglass insulation. Overall findings are coupled with specific recommendations for policymakers and for manufacturers throughout the supply chain.
Supporting Documents:
EquityIsocyanates in Spray Polyurethane Foam
Report
In this case study, Healthy Building Network and Energy Efficiency for All teamed up to apply a framework for considering life cycle chemical and environmental justice impacts to the primary component of spray polyurethane foam insulation: isocyanates.
The case study explores the chemical hazards associated with the manufacture of isocyanates and the localized impacts that facilities have on communities and workers. It includes an example of chemical movements within the supply chain and highlights end of life scenarios for SPF. Overall findings are coupled with specific recommendations for policymakers and for manufacturers throughout the supply chain.
Supporting Documents:
EquityChemical and Environmental Justice Impacts in the Life Cycle of Building Insulation
Report
Product manufacturers, policymakers, and professionals in the building industry are paying more attention to the potential health and environmental impacts of building products during installation and use, but there has been less consideration of the important chemical impacts, including contributions to environmental injustice or environmental racism, that may occur during other life cycle stages.
Healthy Building Network (HBN) teamed up with Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) to expand understanding of products’ life cycle health and environmental justice impacts. Together, the two organizations developed a framework based on the principles of green chemistry and the principles of environmental justice, and applied this framework to two widely-used insulation materials: fiberglass and spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation.
Supporting Documents:
- Case study on Isocyanates in Spray Polyurethane Foam
- Case study on Glass Fibers in Fiberglass Insulation