The group of panelists shared valuable insights on how school districts can protect young learners, who are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of toxins and hazardous materials in school buildings. The discussion highlighted how materials used in school construction and renovation can significantly impact ecological health and the health of students, and improve the overall learning environment.
Materials and human health
It has long been understood that the materials used in the construction of buildings play a crucial role in human health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 50% of the U.S. population carries carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting pesticides in their bodies, and exposure to toxic building materials may contribute to these harmful accumulations. With our youngest learners being more susceptible to exposure to these chemicals as they play and learn in closer contact to carpet, furniture, play equipment, etc., it becomes especially important to choose safer building materials in school environments.
One of the most effective strategies for reducing health hazards in building materials is through elimination and substitution. This aligns with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health‘s hierarchy of controls, which emphasizes the need to remove harmful materials entirely or replace them with safer alternatives.
USGBC has been participating with other cross-sector stakeholders to align around a common definition for healthy materials to help the industry advance healthy material documentation and selection. The new LEED v5 Materials and Resources credit Building Product Disclosure and Optimization introduces a multi-attribute framework for evaluating materials and follows a structure put in place by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in the AIA Materials Pledge and by mindful MATERIALS in the Common Materials Framework, among other documents.
In this new framing, products are evaluated for their ability to address climate health, human health, ecosystem health, and social health and equity, and their ability to foster the circular economy. While the framework and structure of this product-related credit is new in LEED v5, the specific attributes for building products that are rewarded in the credit are familiar to previous users of LEED.
Several schools across the country are already implementing these practices, working to make their buildings healthier and safer for students.
