The Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC) is excited to announce a significant advancement in material health transparency and optimization: the introduction of Transparency & Optimization Indicators. These new indicators are set to revolutionize how we evaluate and improve the sustainability of building materials.
What are Transparency & Optimization Indicators?
These indicators provide a clear roadmap for manufacturers to improve the transparency of their products and continuously optimize them for better health and environmental performance. The system uses a scoring mechanism based on criteria developed and reviewed by members of our Technical Sub-Groups (TSGs) and ecosystem partners.
Key Features of the New Indicators
- Transparency Indicator: This evaluates factors such as inventory type, disclosure threshold, residuals and impurities, public benchmark assessments, public disclosure of contents, and third-party verification.
- Optimization Indicator: This assesses the level of product optimization based on criteria including third-party verification, disclosure threshold, and percentage of content with benchmark scores or screened against approved Restricted Substance Lists.
- Scoring System: Both indicators use a token-based scoring system, with additional tokens awarded for third-party verification and preparation.
Harmonization with Strategic Partners
A key aspect of these new indicators is their focus on harmonization with our strategic partners across the built environment. This effort aims to create a “one-stop shop” for understanding how different partners relate within transparency and optimization. By aligning efforts and terminology, we’re streamlining the process for manufacturers and making it easier for users to understand and compare products across different systems.
Benefits of the New Indicators
- Clear Roadmap: Manufacturers now have a clear path to follow for improving their products’ transparency and health profile.
- Incentivized Third-Party Verification: The scoring system strongly encourages third-party verification, adding credibility to product declarations.
- Alignment with LEED: These indicators are designed to potentially automate the process of determining participation in LEED credits, simplifying the certification process.
- Market Differentiation: Products with higher scores in these indicators will stand out in the marketplace, driving competition towards healthier materials.
- Enhanced Data Accessibility: The indicators help in “unlocking” HPD data, making it more accessible and useful for decision-makers.
Focus on Bottlenecks
As part of this initiative, we’re reviewing all Best Practices and Special Conditions to address current bottlenecks for users. Our goal is to implement solutions that make these aspects easier to navigate, further streamlining the process of creating and using HPDs.
Looking Ahead
While initially part of the HPD Open Standard v2.3 update, these indicators are a stepping stone towards more comprehensive changes in v3.0. We believe this system has the potential to significantly increase participation in material transparency initiatives and provide a clear roadmap to optimization across the building industry.
The introduction of these indicators is part of our broader 2024 focus on “building” upon the foundations and blueprints we’ve established. It aligns with our goal of continually advancing the standard to support the progression of material health practices.