Perspectives on High Performance Building Products

​​​​​​Growing Requests from Building Industry Stakeholders for Sustainable Products

By Rene Parrinello, December 2021

Over the last few years, big tech and real estate management firms have increasingly spoken publicly about the importance of manufacturers publishing product transparency documentation like the Declare Labels so that Architects and Designers (A&D) can make informed decisions about products that are installed in their building projects. Additionally, the growing trend of public letters from the A&D community and from large corporations requesting sustainability data from product manufacturers also illustrates this trend.

These have culminated in building stakeholder requests for use of healthy materials and calls for cross-industry commitments with a common goal to simplify the process for environmentally responsible material sourcing. In January 2021, building owners signed onto a letter to manufacturers to call attention to the growing market demand from building owners, A&D, contractors, and key industry groups alike, to incentivize change among manufacturers. The letter breaks down Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals for building materials and building owner’s demands. In summary:

Environmental, Social, and Governance data of building materials includes:

• Climate Health: Embodied Carbon (Carbon Footprint, EPDs)
• Human Health: Material Ingredients and Emissions (HPDs, EPDs, Declare Labels)
• Social Health & Equity: Manufacturer respects human rights throughout supply chain & operations
• Ecosystem Health: Embodied Water (Water Footprint)
• Product Circularity: Renewable sourcing, Product Design for Disassembly, End-of-life programs

​​​​​​​Owner demands to manufacturers:
​​​​​​​

• Procurement requirements, including RFPs and specifications, to include requests for ESG data
• Product data with embodied carbon, products with assessments, and EPDs will be prioritized
• ESG impact data must be publicly available by manufacturers on mindful MATERIALS

​​​​​​​The global building community has a profound opportunity over the next decade to positively impact buildings, people, and ecosystems. In August 2021, dozens of manufacturers, including Legrand, signed off on the Manufacturer Materials Commitment to show support for a common framework for material sustainability. This pledge aligns with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Materials Pledge and shows dedication to creating products that support a more sustainable built environment. ​​​​​​​

Verifying Healthy Materials and Product Claims

What is a Declare Label?

​​​​​​​Through the process of developing a Declare Label, manufacturers develop a greater understanding of the material composition of their products, which facilitates conversations around material optimization.

For building owners, having this documentation typically meets the request for material health data for building materials in RFPs or specifications.

By having this documentation available, the A&D community can easily identify organizations that are committed to transparency and material health initiatives. 

In particular, Declare Labels contribute to product or material disclosure requirements for high performance building certifications, such as LEED, WELL Building Standard, and Living Building Challenge. Credit criteria is outlined in the table below and on the ILFI website.

How Legrand Helps

• Declare Labels are currently available for Finelite and Focal Point products, available on ILFI’s Declare database and on the mindful MATERIALS platform
• Provides industry leadership through participation in the Living Product 50 (LP50) and Manufacturer Materials Commitment

​​​​​​​Access Legrand's entire product transparency portfolio (Declare, EPDs, and HPDs) on the mindful MATERIALS platform.