Materials Research Collaborative
Transform Grant Research Project
Title: Materials Research Collaborative
Research Team
Healthy Building Network, Building Green
Institution: Healthy Building Network, Building Green
Chemicals released from interior finish products into the built environment can have profound impacts on human behavior ranging from reduced comfort and productivity for building occupants, to long-term genetic damage that can affect future generations. Interior designers have had to rely upon a patchwork of green product certifications and LEED credits to guide their efforts to create healthy interior environments. Unfortunately, these tools have proven to be inadequate and frustrating for designers who are bombarded with a growing array of virtually unregulated product claims, certifications, green marketing, and greenwash.
The work of the Materials Research Collaborative provides practical information and guidance on interior finish products for designers to easily navigate through the confusion that is rampant among contemporary building product certifications, and help them to discriminate between truly healthier materials and greenwash marketing claims.
