The ABCs of HPDs: Increasing Transparency Around Copper’s Contributions to the Built Environment

McLean, VA (November 11, 2019) — The Copper Development Association (CDA) believes that green and healthy building construction should be as easy as ABC. Part of that ease is knowing more about the materials that go into a project, right from the start.

Copper has always played an important role in sustainable buildings given its durability, recyclability and superior electrical conductivity. Now, through third-party-verified Health Product Declarations® (HPDs), CDA and its members are also providing transparent reporting of material ingredients and associated hazards for nine common, copper-based, building construction products.

So how do these HPDs support architects, builders, contractors and owners seeking to construct better buildings? It’s as simple as ABC:

These HPDs work together with copper’s numerous other contributions to green and healthy buildings. From charging electric vehicles to improving indoor air quality, there are 128 possible copper applications in commercial buildings. In fact, one-third of the 420+ credits, features and provisions awarded within LEED v4, WELL v1 and ASHRAE 189.1 can be either directly or indirectly achieved via specification of copper products. CDA’s HPDs are an additional layer of transparency and validation for building professionals.

Both building residents and owners are increasingly demanding more environmentally friendly and safer spaces. The copper industry is proud to help meet this demand by delivering products that contribute to an optimized built environment and providing publicly-available material ingredient and environmental impact disclosure information. Copper is just one element in constructing a sustainable future but, just like the ABCs, basic building blocks are an important starting point for making the world a better place.  

To learn more about CDA’s HPDs and other ways copper is contributing to green and healthy buildings, follow @ThinkCopperUSA.