Living Building Challenge 2.1 - Red List of Materials & Chemicals (retired in 2014)
Living Building Challenge 2.1 - Red List of Materials & Chemicals (retired in 2014)
This list is part of the Living Building Challenge (LBC) developed by Cascadia Green Building Council and now adminstered by the International Living Future Institute to guide building performance beyond LEED levels. This list is composed of materials that Cascadia believes should be phased out of production due to health/toxicity concerns and will be updated as new science emerges.
This is based upon Version 2.1 of the Living Building Challenge which was replaced with V3.0 in May 2014
It lists the following materials and chemical groups in its Red List: • Asbestos • Cadmium• Chlorinated Polyethylene & Chlorosulfonated Polyethlene • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) • Chloroprene (Neoprene) • Formaldehyde (added) • Halogenated Flame Retardants • Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) • Lead (added) • Mercury • Petrochemical Fertilizers and Pesticides • Phthalates • Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) • Wood treatments containing Creosote, Arsenic or Pentachlorophenol
In order to pass the Pharos LBC Red List filter, a product must have full disclosure and not contain materials that are listed above or are members of any of the chemical groups listed above. . Click on the options below under Specific Restrictions to see all of the chemicals in the CML that are screened for the LBC Red List.
There are temporary exceptions for numerous Red List items due to current limitations in the materials economy. Refer to the Living Building Community Dialogue for complete and up-to-date listings. Due to manifold manufacturing processes, there is a Small Component exception for complex products made from more than ten constituent parts. A small component is discrete and contained in its form as introduced into the product’s assembly, and must be less than ten percent of a product by both weight and volume. It is acceptable to jump one Zone, as defined in Imperative 14: Appropriate Sourcing, if compliant materials or products are not procurable within apportioned Zones. Once a compliant product is available within the Zone as originally designated in this standard, the exception will be removed. Each exception request must be submitted in writing with explanation. Final documentation for granted exceptions must be accompanied by a copy of a letter sent to the manufacturer stipulating that the product purchase does not constitute an endorsement, together with a statement that requests that the company stops using the Red List material/chemical. Letters to the manufacturer are required for all exceptions, including those listed in the Standard and User’s Guide. Sample letter templates are posted online in the Living Building Community. Refer to the User’s Guide for more information.
HDPE and LDPE are excluded. Halogenated flame retardants include PBDE, TBBPA, HBCD, Deca-BDE, TCPP, TCEP, Dechlorane Plus and other retardants with bromine or chlorine. To attain Living Building status, petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides may not be used for the duration of the certification period or be needed for subsequent operations and maintenance.
LBC Red List & Filters: From the Search Results for a product category, click on the "No Living Building Challenge Red List Chemicals" link in the Filter box to the right to see all products in the category which pass the LBC red list screen. In a product's profile, "LBC Red List chemicals" will be listed in the Cons and the product is screened out of filtered list if the chemical or any of the compounds in the compound group are:
- listed in the product or
- used frequently or integrally as monomers or catalysts or additives in compounds in the product so are likely to appear as trace contaminants in the product.
Note that for products that are not fully disclosed, Pharos will sometimes attach to the product a list of ingredients that are commonly used in that product type.
The product is also screened out of the filtered list if the product contents to do not trigger the filter but the product is not fully disclosed.
Extended List: This the list of chemicals that manufacturers must respond about on the Living Building Challenge material questionnaire (for a completed example click here and see question 9) which projects seek to avoid but which are not part of the Living Building Challenge Red List in the material petal and hence are not completely disallowed. The list is comprised of chemicals that are not yet on the red list but are listed by:
- US EPA Pollution Prevention + Toxics Existing Chemicals Program (The chemicals of concern for which Action Plans have been published) and the
- European Chemicals Agency REACH Substances of Very High Concern.
The Extended list also includes nanotechnology and EMF which are not yet flagged in the Pharos system.