#MAPEITechTip: ‘Green Blueprints’—why the move toward ‘product chemical transparency’

In the balancing act between the welfare of building occupants and the concerns of building owners, “green architecture” serves to bridge the gap between tomorrow’s sustainable design expectations and today’s budget realities. Throughout North America, green building projects are on the rise–with sizeable municipal projects like hospitals, universities and sports facilities leading the way. Opting for an efficient building design that reduces demands on natural resources has proven to result in long-term savings. A desire for healthier, more efficient buildings is the driving force behind new building design–with innovations in sustainable construction products and installation methods.The passage of LEEDv4 (soon to be LEEDv4.1) and other similar programs such as the Living Building Challenge (LBC) and Well Building Standard (IWBI) have challenged building product manufacturers to provide new tools to the design community and consumers, as the emphasis switches from recycled content and regional manufacturing to product ‘chemical transparency’ (product ingredient reporting) and hazardous ingredient removal and/or reduction. 'Chemical Transparency' programs such as Health Product Declarations (HPD), Cradle to Cradle (C2C) and MI (Manufacturer's Inventory based on GreenSreen) provide a way to disclose this information to the A&D Community, Contractors, and Installers.  MAPEI understands the importance of providing a product that is formulated to balance both ‘performance’ and ‘transparency’. 

MAPEI has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to “green architecture” for sustainable building projects. Yet thinking sustainably also extends to its facilities, products and processes. We recognize that sustainability begins at home; as a result, MAPEI adheres to an environmental management system in support of preventing pollution, minimizing environmental impacts and effectively using resources with regards to the company’s activities, products and services. Currently there are (9) manufacturing sites and the corporate headquarters in Deerfield Beach, Florida that are currently ISO 14001-certified.

As far back as the 1980’s, MAPEI launched a range of water-based adhesives, ECO Line, with a low solvent content new to the marketplace. This commitment is at the core of our R&D Department to formulate products with low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions and no solvents. When a product is in the developmental stage, all factors influencing its impact to the environment and human health are evaluated from a sustainable perspective. This includes reducing and replacing ‘chemicals of concern’ and Living Building Challenge (LBC) ‘Red Listed’ (e.g. formaldehyde, phthalates and isocyanates) with water-based chemicals that have a lower risk—all of this without compromising product performance and workability.
 

However, in formulating our products, it is important to note, that not all “solvent-free” adhesives have low VOC emissions (California DPH Section 01350).  Some are very volatile during application with very little residual emissions, while VOCs of less volatile adhesives may linger longer in an occupied space.  When specifying construction products under LEEDv4 “Indoor Environmental Quality Credit, Low-Emitting Materials,” it is important to understand VOC content versus emissions:
—VOC content per South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule #1168 for adhesives and sealants or Rule #1113 for architectural coatings expressed in g/L: Data demonstrating a product’s potential to release VOCs into an occupied space given the right set of environmental (temperature and pressure) conditions.
 —VOC emission per the California Department of Health, Section 01350: A “real world” application, using a chamber test that simulates the conditions in an occupied building and quantifies both the VOCs and chemicals emitted into the air.

While in years past, VOC emission chamber testing was relegated primarily to the resilient and carpet flooring adhesives industry. This was due to the fact, that prior to the 1980s, many of these adhesives were solvent-based that volatilized within an occupied space creating an unacceptable IAQ environment.  Now most of these adhesives are water-based greatly reducing or eliminating the off gassing or volatilizing of these chemicals into an occupied building.
 
However, within the past ten years, green programs such as LEED, Living Building Challenge (LBC) and WELL have put a greater emphasis on little to zero VOCs within an occupied space, turning the attention to other installation products within this space.  As a result, MAPEI has added to our floor covering adhesives other products for VOC emission testing such as primers, moisture barriers, coatings, self-leveling underlayment, patches, screeds, mortars and grouts.  These are all now part of an on-going process to test to California Department of Health; Section 01350 test method (VOC emission chamber test) and are listed on the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) Green Label Plus Program  website.
 
As the demand for ‘product chemical transparency’ continues to gain momentum, MAPEI will continue to innovate products for both ‘performance’ and ‘chemical transpareny’ to meet the requirements of 'green architecture' for the built environment.  No matter what type of project is being specified, key areas of performance and sustainability should be addressed to ensure a project that will last its intended life cycle, while promoting a healthier environment for the building occupants.