The Science of Smart Materials

As we work to make our buildings more sustainable, selecting environmentally responsible building products and materials is critical to reducing the carbon footprint and building healthy buildings.  To select materials wisely, we have to understand what is in them, how they were made, and if they can be recycled at the end of their usefulness.

There are over 60,000 synthetic chemicals that were grandfathered when the first chemical regulatory system was adopted in the 1976 Toxic Substance Control Act. These materials are considered innocent until proven guilty and the burden is on the public to prove they are unsafe.

Toxic chemicals can be found in many things including paints, flooring, carpeting, PVC pipes, and appliances. The following chemicals are the most important to watch out for when sourcing materials for your home. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) found in paints, glues and sealants; Phthalates, found in flexible vinyl; flame retardants found in fabric, carpet, and carpet backing; and antimicrobials and stain resistance products.

Materials should also be evaluated on their life cycle which includes embodied energy consumed in the raw material extraction, production, transportation, use, and recycling or disposal. This is especially important for large quantities of materials. Steel and the portland cement in concrete contain the highest amount of embodied carbon on any construction material.

A tool that help determine the best materials is an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)  which is sometimes described as a “nutrition label for products”. The EPD document outlines the sustainability of a product. It includes a list of the basic materials and components, a description of the manufacturing process, the life cycle assessment, the carbon footprint and other environmental impact data such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions or third party certifications.

There are some good resources to find sustainable healthy products. One is  The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is a non-profit organization that provides independent certification of sustainable products from building materials to cleaning supplies. Their list of certified products are found at www.c2ccertified.org. Another is Building Green found at www.buildinggreen.com Architecture 2030’s Mindful Materials is also a great resource.

Carbon Sequestering materials also play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas such as sustainably sources wood, hemp, cork and Venetian plaster that is being installed in the photo above.