Declare | Red List Free

A Declare Label Answers Three Questions:
Where does a product come from?
What is it made of?
Where does it go at the end of its life?

Declare is a transparency platform and product database that is changing the materials marketplace. It is a voluntary self-disclosure program aiming to transform the building materials industry toward healthier products through ingredient transparency.

What’s Included On a Declare Label? https://living-future.org/declare/declare-about/

The Declare Label evaluates a product according to its compliance with all Imperatives applicable to the selection of building products within the LBC 4.0 standard. Products shown to meet the requirements of the LBC Red List Imperative are noted as LBC Red List Free products. This means the manufacturer has disclosed 100% of product ingredients plus residuals present at or above 100 ppm in the final product and the product does not contain any Red List chemicals.

• “Red List Free” product ingredients are 100% disclosed to 100 ppm and do not contain any Red List chemicals. They have been shown to meet the Materials Petal requirements of the Living Building Challenge and, if applicable, emissions testing criteria for the Health + Happiness Petal.
• “LBC Compliant” products meet the written requirements of the Living Building Challenge, but rely on one or more Exceptions (see appendix B) to demonstrate compliance. Product ingredients are, at minimum, 99% disclosed to 100 ppm and/or may contain one or more Red List chemicals that fall under an existing, published LBC Exception.They have been shown to meet the Materials Petal requirements of the Living Building Challenge and, if applicable, emissions testing criteria for the Health + Happiness Petal.
• “Declared” product ingredients are 100% disclosed to 100 ppm, but contain one or more Red List chemicals that are not covered by an existing Exception. Additionally, applicable products that do not meet emissions testing criteria are considered “Declared”. “Declared” labels require additional product research and vetting to locate a fully compliant product before the “Declared” product may be used on a Living Building Challenge project.

A Living Building Challenge project must contain one Declare label product per 200 sq m of gross building area, or project area, whichever is smaller, up to twenty distinct products from five manufacturers. All other product manufacturers not currently in Declare must, at a minimum, receive a letter requesting they disclose their ingredients and identify any Red List content.

Linetec Anodize Declare label: https://declare.living-future.org/products/anodized-aluminum

Declare is a voluntary self-disclosure program of the International Living Building Challenge that aims to transform the building materials industry toward healthier products through ingredient transparency. Declare LBC Red List Free products are recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Rating System, the International WELL Building Standard, mindful MATERIALS and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasers.

LEED v4 Building Product Disclosure and Optimization—Material Ingredients, Option 1

Declare has been approved as a compliance pathway for the LEED v4 Building Product Disclosure and Optimization Credit, Option 1. The LEED v4 credit calls for the chemical inventory of a product to at least 1000ppm; Declare labels that achieve a declaration status of “Red List Free” or “Declared” fulfill the credit disclosure requirements. Additionally, any fully disclosed “LBC Compliant” label and any “LBC Compliant” label using the I10-E4 Proprietary Ingredients Exception, with a minimum disclosure threshold of 99.9%, meets the LEED v4 Building Product Disclosure and Optimization Credit, Option 1 reporting requirements.

International WELL Building Standard

Declare products that are “Red List Free” or “LBC Compliant”, have been approved as a compliance pathway for the International WELL Building Standard’s Feature 26 for Enhanced Material Safety. The Feature takes a precautionary approach to hazards by emphasizing healthy material selection to minimize risks.

mindful MATERIALS

A group of leading architecture firms created the mindful MATERIALS initiative to provide a simple platform for manufacturers to communicate transparency and optimization for their products, while also providing designers a single place to search for materials. Declare product information is directly entered into the mindful MATERIALS database.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Recommendations to Federal Purchasers

Declare is now recognized by the US EPA in its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for federal purchasers. The recommendations, which help federal purchasers identify and procure environmentally sustainable products and services, include Declare as a recommended standard for a range of low-emitting materials, including carpet, flooring products, furniture, and interior latex paint.

Linetec’s anodize finishes fall within the Materials Petal of the Living Building Challenge. The intent of the Materials Petal is to help create a materials economy that is non-toxic, ecologically restorative, transparent, and socially equitable. Throughout their life cycle, building materials are responsible for many adverse environmental issues, including personal illness, habitat and species loss, pollution, and resource depletion. The Imperatives in the Materials section aim to remove the worst known offending materials and practices and to drive business toward a truly responsible materials economy.

Linetec’s eco-friendly anodize process is well suited for recycled aluminum billet as the frosty, matte finish helps hide small imperfections that may occur in secondary billet. At the end of its life on a building, the finished aluminum is 100% recyclable.

For additional environmental considerations of Linetec anodize, visit our environmental page.