Healthy Building Standards
3 Factors in Material-Health Criteria
Brown's Healthy Building Standards include three types of criteria that are evaluated for each product category, which are VOC Emissions, Materials Transparency, and Health Optimization.
VOC Emissions
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that readily evaporate at room temperature, which make them more likely to be released into the air people breathe, presenting a greater risk of exposure. In addition to testing products for VOC Emissions (the VOCs released from a product over a given period of time), wet-applied products, such as paints and sealants, are also evaluated for VOC Content (the concentration of VOCs in a mixture).
Ingredient Disclosure
Ingredient Disclosure refers to the reporting product ingredients in a way that allows them be screened and assessed for potential health hazards. This type of disclosure requires ingredients to be reported in a standardized format, ideally through a Health Product Declaration (HPD) or Declare Label, and requires any substance that makes up a certain amount of the product to be included (referred to as the 'Reporting Threshold' and typically expressed in parts-per-million, or ppm).
Health Optimization
Health Optimization is the general term for improving product chemistries and avoiding chemicals of concern. This can be evaluated through Class-Based Avoidance (eliminating full chemical classes that are known to be harmful), Restricted-Substance List (RSL) Screening (screening a product's ingredients list against lists of hazardous chemicals), or Assessment-Based Optimization (a more detailed assessment of product ingredients, their associated risks, and potential for improvement or alternatives).
Brown's Baseline Requirements & Preferred Targets
In each product category, Brown's Healthy Building Standards define 'Baseline Requirements', which are the minimum requirements all products in that category must meet, as well as 'Preferred Targets', which are higher levels of health standards that Brown aspires towards and encourages project teams to select when possible.
Additional details, such as lists of the certifications and standards that qualify for each requirement, can be found in the charts linked here.
CARPET
RESILIENT FLOORING
INTERIOR PAINTS
INSULATION
FURNITURE
09 68 00 - CARPET
BASELINE REQUIREMENTS:
VOC Emissions: Ultra-Low Emissions
Emissions Testing in compliance with CDPH Std v1.2-2017 with TVOC range less than 0.5 mg/m3
Material Ingredients: Disclosure at 100 ppm
Manufacture has disclosed product ingredients through a publicly available standard, such as a Health Product Declaration (HPD) or Declare Label, and ingredients are reported at a threshold of at least 100 ppm (0.01%).
Health Optimization: 'Better' Level Optimization (any option qualifies)
Option #1: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to avoid the following top priority chemical classes and substances relevant to carpet:
1. PFAS
2. Flame Retardants
3. Antimicrobials
4. PVC
5. Phthalates
6. Fly Ash
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to have at least 95% of contents assessed and contains no BM-1 substances (or equivalent). Remaining 5% contain no LT-1 substances.
-or-
Option 3: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to comply with a Restricted Substance List (RSL) screening that includes the highest concerning chemical compounds, CMRs, and PBTs
PREFERRED TARGETS:
Material Ingredients: Disclosure at 100 ppm with 3rd Party Verification
Product ingredient disclosure with content inventory to at least 100 ppm (0.01%) and 3rd-Party Verification.
Health Optimization: 'Best' Level Optimization (any option qualifies)
Option #1: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to avoid the following top priority chemical classes as well as CMRs and PBTs:
1. PFAS
2. Flame Retardants
3. Antimicrobials
4. PVC
5. Phthalates
6. Fly Ash
and
7. No CMRs
8. No PBTs
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to have 100% of contents assessed and contains no BM-1 (or equivalent).
09 65 00 - RESILIENT FLOORING
BASELINE REQUIREMENTS:
VOC Emissions: Ultra-Low Emissions
Emissions Testing in compliance with CDPH Std v1.2-2017 with TVOC range less than 0.5 mg/m3
Material Ingredients: Disclosure at 100 ppm
Manufacture has disclosed product ingredients through a publicly available standard, such as a Health Product Declaration (HPD) or Declare Label, and ingredients are reported at a threshold of at least 100 ppm (0.01%).
Health Optimization: 'Better' Level Optimization (any option qualifies)
Option #1: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to avoid the following top priority chemical classes and substances relevant to resilient flooring:
1. Phthalates
2. PVC
3. Crumb Rubber (i.e. Tire-Derived Rubber)
4. PFAS
5. Flame Retardants
6. Antimicrobials
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to have at least 95% of contents assessed and contains no BM-1 substances (or equivalent). Remaining 5% contain no LT-1 substances.
-or-
Option 3: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to comply with a Restricted Substance List (RSL) screening that includes the highest concerning chemical compounds, CMRs, and PBTs
PREFERRED TARGETS:
Material Ingredients: Disclosure at 100 ppm with 3rd Party Verification
Product ingredient disclosure with content inventory to at least 100 ppm (0.01%) and 3rd-Party Verification.
Health Optimization: 'Best' Level Optimization (any option qualifies)
Option #1: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to avoid the following top priority chemical classes as well as CMRs and PBTs:
1. Phthalates
2. PVC
3. Crumb Rubber (i.e. Tire-Derived Rubber)
4. PFAS
5. Flame Retardants
6. Antimicrobials
and
7. No CMRs
8. No PBTs
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to have 100% of contents assessed and contains no BM-1 (or equivalent).
07 21 00 - INSULATION
BASELINE REQUIREMENTS:
VOC Emissions: Ultra-Low Emissions
Emissions Testing in compliance with CDPH Std v1.2-2017 with TVOC range less than 0.5 mg/m3
Material Ingredients: Disclosure at 100 ppm
Manufacture has disclosed product ingredients through a publicly available standard, such as a Health Product Declaration (HPD) or Declare Label, and ingredients are reported at a threshold of at least 100 ppm (0.01%).
Health Optimization: 'Basic' Level Optimization (either option qualifies)
Option #1: Self-reporting that a product avoids the following top priority chemical classes and substances relevant to blanket insulation:
1. Flame Retardants
2. Formaldehyde
3. Heavy Metals
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to comply with a Restricted Substance List (RSL) screening that includes the highest concerning chemical compounds
PREFERRED TARGETS:
Material Ingredients: Disclosure at 100 ppm with 3rd Party Verification
Product ingredient disclosure with content inventory to at least 100 ppm (0.01%) and 3rd-Party Verification.
Health Optimization: 'Better' Level Optimization (any option qualifies)
Option #1: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to avoid the following top priority chemical classes relevant to blanket insulation:
1. Flame Retardants
2. Formaldehyde
3. Heavy Metals
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to have at least 95% of contents assessed and contains no BM-1 substances (or equivalent). Remaining 5% contain no LT-1 substances.
-or-
Option 3: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to comply with a Restricted Substance List (RSL) screening that includes the highest concerning chemical compounds, CMRs, and PBTs
09 90 00 - INTERIOR PAINTS & COATINGS
BASELINE REQUIREMENTS:
VOC Emissions: Low VOC
VOC Content: Meets "Low-VOC" limits for VOC content defined in SCAQMD Rule 1113 (<50 g/L, including colorant)
-and-
VOC Emissions: Product has been tested for VOC emissions and is in compliance with CDPH Std v1.2-2017
Material Ingredients: Disclosure using GHS Classification
Product ingredient disclosure with content inventory to at least 1,000 ppm (0.1%). Hazards are disclosed using the Globally Harmonized System of Classification (GHS).
Health Optimization: 'Basic' Level Optimization (either option qualifies)
Option #1: Self-reporting that a product avoids the following top priority chemical classes and substances relevant to paints and coatings:
1. Heavy Metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and antimony in the elemental form or compounds, per GS-11)
2. Methylene Chloride & Perchloroethylene solvents
3. PFAS
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to comply with a Restricted Substance List (RSL) screening that includes the highest concerning chemical compounds
PREFERRED TARGETS:
VOC Emissions: Super-Low/Zero VOC
VOC Content: Meets “Super-Compliant” limits for VOC content defined in SCAQMD Rule 1113 (<10 g/L)
-and-
VOC Emissions: Product has been tested for VOC emissions and is in compliance with CDPH Std v1.2-2017, with TVOC range less than 0.5 mg/m3
Material Ingredients: Disclosure using GS-LT/BM Classification
Product ingredient disclosure with content inventory to at least 1,000 ppm (0.1%). Hazards are disclosed using Greenscreen List Translator (LT) score and/or full GreenScreen Benchmark (BM) score.
Health Optimization: 'Better' Level Optimization (any option qualifies)
Option #1: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to avoid the following top priority chemical classes and substances relevant to paints & coatings:
1. Heavy Metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and antimony in the elemental form or compounds, per GS-11)
2. Methylene Chloride & Perchloroethylene solvents
3. Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APEs)
4. PFAS
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to have at least 95% of contents assessed and contains no BM-1 substances (or equivalent). Remaining 5% contain no LT-1 substances.
-or-
Option 3: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to comply with a Restricted Substance List (RSL) screening that includes the highest concerning chemical compounds, CMRs, and PBTs
12 50 00 - FURNITURE
BASELINE REQUIREMENTS:
VOC Emissions: Very Low Emissions
Product has been tested in accordance with ANSI/BIFMA Standard Method M7.1–2011 (R2016) and complies with ANSI/BIFMA e3-2014e or e3-2019e Furniture Sustainability Standard, Section 7.6.2.
Health Optimization: 'Basic' Level Optimization (either option qualifies)
Option 1: Self-declared compliance with the Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Furniture Standard v2.4, identifying that the product does not contain the following top priority chemical classes and substances relevant to furniture:
1. Chemical Flame Retardants
2. Antimicrobials
3. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
4. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
5. Formaldehyde (or meet CARB or EPA TSCA Title VI NAF)
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to comply with a Restricted Substance List (RSL) screening that includes the highest concerning chemical compounds
PREFERRED TARGETS:
VOC Emissions: No Emissions
Option 1: Product has been tested in accordance with ANSI/BIFMA Standard Method M7.1–2011 (R2016) and complies with ANSI/BIFMA e3-2014e or e3-2019e Furniture Sustainability Standard, Sections 7.6.2 AND 7.6.3.
-or-
Option 2: Salvaged or reused furniture at least 1 year old.
Material Ingredients: Disclosure at 1,000 ppm
Product ingredient disclosure with content inventory to at least 1,000 ppm (0.1%)
Health Optimization: 'Better' Level Optimization (any option qualifies)
Option #1: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to avoid the following top priority chemical classes and substances relevant to furniture:
1. Chemical Flame Retardants
2. Antimicrobials
3. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
4. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
5. Formaldehyde (or meet CARB or EPA TSCA Title VI NAF)
-or-
Option 2: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to have at least 95% of contents assessed and contains no BM-1 substances (or equivalent). Remaining 5% contain no LT-1 substances.
-or-
Option 3: Product is certified (or reported through a standard) to comply with a Restricted Substance List (RSL) screening that includes the highest concerning chemical compounds, CMRs, and PBTs