As the demand for LEED certified buildings continues to rise, manufacturers face a significant challenge: getting their products specified for these prestigious projects. HPDs have become a game-changer for manufacturers aiming to secure their position for green building projects.
With over 10,000 HPDs published, and thousands being downloaded monthly by architects, building product manufacturers face a tough entry into getting specified for LEED if they don’t have an HPD. What are the benefits and challenges of developing an HPD? Let’s take a closer look . . .
Meeting Green Building Requirements
Architects heavily prioritize product declarations, certifications, and testing when specifying materials for green buildings. Transparency documentation, such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs), provide manufacturers with a means to showcase their commitment to sustainability. These documents are almost mandatory for LEED projects by all major AEC firms in the U.S.
In addition to LEED, HPDs can be used for WELL certification and the Living Building Challenge. Many building projects are built to LEED standards, yet don’t opt for the LEED plaque. All of these projects require transparency documentation and if you don’t provide it, your competitor will.
Getting Specified For Schools and Hospitals
Do you want to get your paint, flooring, or gypsum board specified for a school or hospital project? You don’t have an HPD, Declare Label, or C2C certification? Good luck! Project architects, owners, developers, and planners prioritize the health and well-being of occupants. Manufacturers who can provide HPDs offer architects valuable insights into the potential chemical hazards and human health impacts associated with their products. This information allows architects to make informed decisions, ensuring that the selected materials contribute to a healthy indoor environment for kids and patients.
Documentation Process
Design professionals face an overwhelming amount of information when evaluating products for green building projects. Transparency documentation simplifies the evaluation process, allowing architects to quickly compare products based on their environmental performance, health impacts, and sustainable attributes. By providing industry accepted documentation like HPDs and Declare Labels, manufacturers reduce the burden on architects and increase the likelihood of their products being specified.
Driving Industry Standards and Innovation
LEED v4 was launched in 2013 and included the Material Ingredients credit which uses HPDs. HPDs have been instrumental in driving industry-wide standards and encouraging innovation in product development. As more manufacturers embrace transparency and provide HPDs, it creates a ripple effect that pushes the entire industry toward improved sustainability, health, and environmental practices. This ultimately benefits both the industry and society. If you’ve waited ten years to develop an HPD for your product, it’s not too late! Be proactive instead of reacting to the latest moves by your competition.
In summary, HPDs are essential for promoting transparency, protecting human health, supporting green building certifications, driving sustainable material selection, fostering supply chain transparency, enhancing consumer confidence, and driving industry-wide standards and innovation. By providing valuable information and empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions, HPDs contribute to creating a healthier, more sustainable future. Don’t be left in the dust!