New Healthy Materials Library in New Jersey Office

Launched simultaneously with the firm’s new Healthy Materials Protocol, the library will provide HLW staff with the most contemporary and sustainable building materials for use in projects of all sizes and typologies.

HLW New Jersey’s Healthy Materials Library (HML) is a new, critical resource that ensures that our architects and designers have knowledge of and access to healthy and sustainable building materials. The library was conceived as the first real-life application of BEYOND’s Healthy Materials Protocol, which draws inspiration from the AIA’s Healthy Materials Pledge. It officially launched in tandem with the firmwide release of BEYOND’s protocol.

Creating the HML was a collaborative effort between different teams within HLW. BEYOND (HLW’s in-house environmental consultancy), the firm’s material technology team, and New Jersey–based colleagues worked together to curate the vast number of materials that went into the library.

“Awareness of healthy materials is not new to HLW,” explains Susan Kaplan, director of HLW’s Materials + Technology department. “We have worked with clients for almost 20 years to figure out how to incorporate healthier options into our projects. With this new protocol and library in place, we’ll be able to elevate and accelerate our efforts.”

The endeavor was not without its challenges.

First, the sheer quantity of manufacturers and materials that needed to be vetted was staggering. Our team’s research encompassed the materials’ raw components, production processes, supply chain journeys, and their ability to be recycled or deconstructed post-use. We also had to become knowledgeable about myriad certifications that the design industry industry uses to identify healthy and ecoconscious materials. To speed this process along, we reached out to manufacturers’ reps and asked them for audits of their own products.

Finding substitutes for entire product categories comprised of toxic materials was another significant challenge. One such product category was LVT (luxury vinyl tiles). LVT is a popular choice for flooring in many buildings, but it’s been shown to pose significant health risks. Finding an alternative product that matched the aesthetic, durability, and price point of LVT was difficult, but not impossible, thanks to our research and relationships with expert manufacturer reps. We were able to include biobased tiles and rubber flooring in the Healthy Materials Library as the alternative.

“We are willing to leave no stone unturned to ensure products that go into our projects are as healthy as possible – both upstream and downstream,” says Jonce Walker, principal and managing director of BEYOND. “Not only do our clients deserve this level of attention, but so does the labor force that produces these products.”

Finally, the team was very conscious of greenwashing in the AEC industry and took measures to ensure that the HML would not be another unfortunate example of designers talking the talk but not walking the walk. Some products have generic claims on their spec sheets that don't necessarily relate to an accepted standard or certification to back it up. For example, some brands advertise their wallcoverings as being made of "biobased vinyl." However, after extensive research, our team found that the products still contain PVC, which does not satisfy the Healthy Materials Protocol. Such instances require extensive collaboration between BEYOND and the material technology team to ensure that the library only contains products that meet the highest standards.

In conclusion, creating the HML is a challenging and ongoing process. Evaluating the large quantity of manufacturers and products, calling out greenwashing, and finding substitutes for toxic materials are some of the primary challenges that the team must continuously tackle. Collaboration is critical to ensuring that the library represents the latest and greatest in materials knowledge. Despite the challenges, the HML is essential for creating a healthier and more sustainable built environment.