Nature- Based Alternatives to Hazardous Ingredients in Building Materials

As the built environment increasingly shifts toward healthy, sustainable and circular economy principles, it’s time to critically assess the materials we use in design and construction. Red List Chemicals and Chemicals of Concern are still ubiquitous in our buildings and in the products available to materials specifiers. While short-term perceived benefits of lower cost, and familiarity of these problematic materials can make them seem appealing, their long-term environmental and health impacts tell a different story—one of pollution, toxicity, and carbon-heavy production.
With new EPA risk evaluations for vinyl chloride and a growing global movement against plastic pollution, the need for nature-based solutions has never been more urgent. This presentation will explore:
-The pressing need for more ingredient health transparency within the industry: only 5% of materials used in built environment fully disclose their contents; and only a subset of Declare Labels or Health Product Declarations currently have 3rd party verification.
-The hidden costs of chemicals of concern such as PVC in terms of public health, environmental damage, lifecycle emissions, and toxicity at disposal
-Why designers continue to rely on many of these materials despite their well-documented hazards
-Breakthrough alternatives like Carnegie’s Biobased Xorel, a carbon-negative, bio-based textile made from sugarcane waste, and other inspiring nature-based alternatives that remediate waste, such as Mycofill or OurCarbon, among others.
-How designers, architects, and manufacturers can collectively drive material innovation and move towards healthier, more responsible choices
-How sustainable product labels and certifications can make better choices easy and efficient, and drive innovation for product design, manufacturing, and life cycle management.