Embodied Justice: Incorporating Healthier Materials to Foster Social Justice & Wellness

Matt Root
Proposal Status
Ready for Committee Review
Username
Matt Root
Proposer First Name
Matthew
Proposer Email
matt_root@alumni.brown.edu
Proposer Last Name
Root
Proposer Phone
(508) 887-5253
Proposer Job Title
Senior Project Manager
Proposed Session Description
Carbon emissions can be offset, health impacts cannot. For too long, making buildings healthier has focused primarily on occupant health, a narrow view neglecting manufacturing workers and fence-line communities around the factories. Truly healthier materials must be free from chemicals of concern throughout the supply chain. Over 50% of American PVC production requires an asbestos filter. That means today, there is someone, probably in Russia, Kazakhstan, or China, mining a mineral known--back to the Roman Empire--to cause its own unique form of lung cancer (and still not banned in the US). Outrage over the injustice embodied in unhealthy products is valuable only if it spurs action. Action for healthier materials means designing out bad product types and pushing manufacturers for safer materials. Your project cannot be Red List free (yet!). But you can contribute positively to the movement by lending your voice and your project’s buying power, because committing to healthier materials only matters if you back it up with informed product selection and advocacy. This session features insights and proven strategies gleaned from experience with more than 50 healthier building projects, providing the tools needed to take essential steps at a pace appropriate for any project.
Why is this session important?
This session is important because success in moving the marketplace toward healthier material requires participation from projects. But right now many design and construction teams are not participating because they are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. We will get people started.

Comments

Jodi Smits Anderson Mon, 04/05/2021 - 4:07 pm

Round 1 - MAYBEI was sad Matt wasn't listed as a speaker. Charley and Lisa have presented several times recently, and my ONLY hesitation is that fact. The info is great, the topic is timely, the systems integration needed to identify not only toxins in the material but in the supply of that material is incredibly needed, and the first sentence of the proposal is a GEM. 

Monisha Royan Tue, 04/06/2021 - 11:41 pm

Round 1 Review - Yes

An interesting topic makes one think about the construction/ manufacturing industry workers
I would recommend to retrospect the focus and emphasis on policy and codes to create awareness

Susan Farber Mon, 04/12/2021 - 5:00 pm

ROUND 1 DISCUSSION: Topic great. First sentence is super compelling. The only hesitation is that speakers, Charley and Lisa, have spoken several times at conferences. Would like to make room for other speakers. What are policy and codes that are relevant? Collaboration: What did they use to help clients minds to use? Include info on Health of supply chain and workers.

Sara Bayer Fri, 04/30/2021 - 5:22 pm

YES.  Especially if we dont have too many healthy product sessions.  They are looking for a community organizer in a fenceline community batteling these issues.  But they havent found one or solidfied that yet. They see that the conversation has shifted and how people are looking at emissions along the entire value chain.  They have ideas abuot entry level things practitioners can do, and advanced levels.  They believe that changes to healthy products can be cost neutral or near parity - especailly if thought about wholistically in a project.  They intend to present their software that they developed to help firms organize and keep track of the decisions etc, which could be very helfup, but we would want to make sure this doesnt become a sales pitch on that front.  But I believe they ahve plenty of experience and good tips to share.  They recently worked on a project at Harvard, brought in during CD's, to convert everyhting to healthier options, and they did it for 1% cost increase - they plan to present that example.

Diversity and Inclusiveness
This presentation directly addresses equity and environmental justice. We seek to expand the conversation on healthier materials beyond occupant health--to include installers, manufacturer workers, and fence-line communities. These people are often the ones most severely impacted by the consequences of our building product supply chain.
Learning Objectives
Discuss the environmental justice impacts of building products
Explain the value of advocating to manufacturers with a unified, consistent message
Outline action steps to begin measurable progress toward healthier materials goals
Identify opportunities to avoid lagging Product Types
Has this session been presented before?
No

NYC 2021 Areas of Focus

Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 1 - No prior knowledge needed.
Session Format
Interview or structured conversation among panelists
Recommended Length
60-minute session

Strongest Content Connection - NYC 2021

Reviewer 1
Royan, Monisha
Reviewer 2
Bayer, Sara
Curator
Bayer, Sara
Proposal #
140
Session #
209
Committee Decision
Accepted

Presenters