Perspectives on greener product development and manufacturing from Sustainable Minds, our partners, customers and contributors.

Transparency is the New Green

Transparency is the New Green in Product Selection and Specification: Introducing Transparency Catalog / EC3 tool integration and NEW lower cost, product and facility-specific EPDs

By Sustainable Minds on December 22, 2019

recorded Thu, Dec 12, 12–1pm ET | 9am PT

AECOs: The Transparency Catalog now includes EC3 tool results making it super easy to find lower embodied carbon products in every MasterFormat® section in 1 click.

Find all EPDs from a manufacturer with Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool results. Results link directly to the EC3 tool to enable comparisons within the category or to start modeling a project. Connecting the last mile: in the EC3 tool, manufacturer and EPD pages link to their Transparency Catalog listing for product and contact information to help get the product into the specification.

Transparency is the New Green in Product Selection and Specification Part 11: Sloan & Hunter Panels

By Sustainable Minds on September 29, 2019

Recorded Thu, Sep 26, 2–3pm ET

Welcome to our webcast series featuring manufacturers making credibly greener and healthier products. Learn how they are working to understand and improve the environmental performance and material health of their products.

Transparency is the New Green in Product Selection and Specification: Using EPDs to create actionable information about embodied carbon in construction

By Sustainable Minds on September 13, 2019

Recorded Tue, Sep 10, 12–1pm ET

Using EPDs to make decisions about which products actually have better environmental performance isn't simple. Introducing the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (“EC3”) tool.

The EC3 tool is a collaborative, open-source industry-led sustainability platform that helps professionals make better decisions about embodied carbon in construction, and enables supply chain accountability. The EC3 tool is part of an integrated ecosystem of data, tools and knowledge that empowers, informs and inspires low carbon solutions. The EC3 tool is set for formal release in the fall of 2019.

Transparency is the New Green in Product Selection and Specification: Introducing Transparency Catalog v2.1: All Health Product Declarations®

By Sustainable Minds on August 22, 2019

Recorded Wednesday, Aug 21, 2–3pm ET | 11–12pm PT

AND all environmental product declarations (EPDs) in North America, with powerful MasterFormat® filtering

Join us to learn about HPDs and v2.1 capabilities.
HPDs and EPDs are increasingly becoming specification requirements for greener and healthier high-performance buildings. Now in one place, AECOs can find products with environmental performance & material ingredient disclosures in 25 MasterFormat divisions and ~710 sections.

Transparency is the New Green in Product Selection and Specification: The evolution of EPDs to help make better design decisions

By Sustainable Minds on July 25, 2019

Recorded Tue, July 23, 11–12pm ET

Are you able to use EPDs to make informed decisions about which products actually have better environmental performance?

In this webinar, three LCA and EPD experts will discuss the ongoing evolution of EPDs and the marketplace demand driving the change in the building & construction industry.

Innovating a Greener Future: Radical Plastics & Techstyle Materials

By Sustainable Minds on May 17, 2019

Recorded Tue, Apr 30, 11–12pm ET

The Cleantech Open runs the world’s largest clean technology accelerator program. Meet 2018 National Winner, Radical Plastics and Northeast Finalist, Techstyle Materials.

Sustainable Minds is proud to be a national in-kind sponsor, offering a free subscription to our SM Eco-concept + LCA software to the 2018 CTO Cohort to improve their products' environmental performance by integrating life cycle thinking and LCA into their product development processes.

Transparency is the New Green in Product Selection and Specification: Part 10: Roppe & ISE Logik

By Sustainable Minds on February 25, 2019

Recorded Wed, Feb 20, 11–12pm ET

Welcome to our webcast series featuring manufacturers making credibly greener and healthier products. Learn how they are working to understand and improve the environmental performance and material health of their products.

Roppe is celebrating over 60 years as a leading manufacturer in the commercial flooring industry. We have consciously chosen to be part of the solution. From tiles and treads to wall base and adhesives, our products meet high environmental standards without compromising color selection, performance, durability or style.

Transparency is the New Green In Product Selection and Specification: Everything you always wanted to know about EPDs – but were afraid to ask.

By Sustainable Minds on November 13, 2018

Recorded Wed, Nov 7 | 11am ET

Recorded Wed, Nov 20 | 11am ET

Are you able to use EPDs to make informed decisions about which products actually have better environmental performance?
If you answered “not really,” it’s not you, it’s us.

Transparency is the New Green: Meet BREEAM, the world's 1st green building rating system

By Sustainable Minds on October 18, 2018

Recorded Wed, Oct 10 | 2pm ET, 11am PT

BREEM USA delivered by bre

There are now six green building rating systems for North America that reward product transparency. With the increasing demand for products with better environmental performance and material health to build high-performance buildings, it is important to understand all the options for green building certification and how performance is measured to determine which best fits your project.

WEBINAR: GreenCE, Elixir Environmental, Sustainable Minds: Product Transparency and Specification – A Guide

By Sustainable Minds on September 10, 2018

Recorded Mon, Sep 10, 2018 12 – 12:30pm EDT
Presenters: Terry Swack, CEO, Sustainable Minds
Tara Blank, Founder, Elixir Environmental

View the recording >

Environmental impact and material health are performance criteria, now part of ‘high performance’ building. Specification decisions for green building projects are increasingly being made based on whether or not products have transparency documentation.