HPD v2.2: The Most Advanced HPD Open Standard Yet Is Set to Release

I’m pleased to share that the Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC) staff has set a release date for the HPD Open Standard version 2.2. With the benefit of the seven years of experience since the release of HPD v1.0, and many months of development by HPDC’s staff and volunteer technical committees, we will release the most advanced HPD Open Standard yet on May 7, 2019.

This release includes all revisions to the standard’s instructions and updates to the HPD format. Later this year—by Q3 2019—we plan to complete the corresponding updates to the HPD Builder, then making HPD v2.2 the effective version of the HPD Open Standard. (Until then, the current HPD v2.1.1 remains the effective version.)

Here are some highlights to look for on May 7th.

New in HPD v2.2: Supplier HPD and parts inventory

The signature features of HPD v2.2 are new tools for incorporating supply chain information more directly into the HPD reporting process.

In a new innovation, HPD v2.2 distinguishes between two different forms of HPD: the Product HPD and the Supplier HPD.

• The Product HPD is the format that you have been familiar with if you have seen an HPD before. It reports on the contents of a complete product.
• The Supplier HPD is new version of the HPD. It contains some but not all of the data elements of a complete Product HPD. The Supplier HPD is a tool for ingredient suppliers to provide complete and accurate content inventory and associated health information data directly to product manufacturers for reporting in Product HPDs.
• To give HPD users a new view on all this data, the HPD will now offer an optional Part inventory. It enables the entry of information from suppliers using the Supplier HPD to display as a “Part” of the complete product described by the Product HPD.

With these new HPD v2.2 capabilities the maker of the caster of an office chair could provide the manufacturer with a full inventory of that part of the chair using the Supplier HPD. At the option of the chair manufacturer, this part inventory can now also be displayed in the Product HPD report, so that a designer using the HPD can see which materials are in the caster. Consistent with the approach of the HPD Open Standard, these tools allow for optional withholding of confidential business information.

More consistent and transparent reporting of substance data

The 4,600+ HPDs published to date provide a treasure trove of data about materials and substances used in building products and materials. Several innovations with HPD v2.2 make that data more consistent, easy to understand, and useful for research.

Most significantly, the previous “Role” field on the HPD has been renamed “Substance Role,” and manufacturers will select from a drop-down list with dozens of possible terms such as binder, flame retardant, surfactant, biocide, etc.

More consistent use of this field is important to understanding how a substance is being used. As collective use of HPDs continues to grow, researchers can use that data to identify which substances are less hazardous for a given role.

Continued compliance with LEED v4

All versions of the HPD are recognized for contribution to the LEED v4 and now LEED v4.1 material ingredients credits. HPD v2.2 remains consistent with LEED requirements, and HPDC regularly updates LEED guidance on its website to support updates in the HPD and in LEED.

HPD v2.2 continues to provide an automated LEED Pre-Check to review compliance of HPDs with LEED v4 requirements. In a procedural revision, the pre-check has been published separately as part of HPDC’s Emerging Best Practices. This allows HPDC to update the pre-check to align with LEED’s revision cycles, and to more readily add pre-checks for other programs when there is demand. For example, HPDC is now building a LEED v4.1 Pre-Check.

Feedback and comments welcome

As HPD v2.2 is released, HPDC is listening to feedback from manufacturers, the design community, certifying organizations, and other participants in the material health ecosystem. These great ideas, combined with the clear vision the HPDC organization has carried from its start, are what allow us to continue to offer more with each release.

Please contact me at troberts@hpd-collaborative.org with any suggestions for improvements, or if you want to volunteer your experience or expertise with our work.