Case Study: Healthy Living
with Sustainable Materials
Healthy Living with
Sustainable Materials
We believe in a holistic approach to ESG that champions the health of the people impacted by our business as well as the planet.
Each material in our ownership process, whether construction, retrofit, or redesign, is carefully selected for its chemical and embodied carbon attributes. It is our goal to foster healthy, welcoming, and safe spaces for our tenants that drive retention and wellbeing at every property.
The Green Cities Materials Brand Standards
- Transparency: Prioritize materials where we have information access (EPDs, HPDs, have known certifications, and are third-party verified)
- Stewardship: Partner with vendors, manufacturers, contractors, architects, ownership groups, and other companies to better advance industry commitment
- Lifecycle: Consider all aspects of the material lifecycle including raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, resilience, end of life waste, equity, and social justice
- Detoxification: Screen for products that do not contain these six chemical classes: PFAS, antimicrobials, flame retardants, bisphenols and phthalates, some solvents, and certain metals
- Water: Emphasize the conservation and optimization of water in all aspects of the built environment including material manufacturing, plumbing fixtures, landscaping and irrigation, potable water health, and storm water management
- Efficiency: Optimize energy use and use systems and materials (HVAC, appliances, lighting) that use less energy
- Design: Base all design decisions and selections on the premise that good design is sustainable and healthy for all people and the planet
- GCI Integration: Unite all aspects of the GCI in our materials selection for a holistic view of each element’s environmental and social impact
mindful MATERIALS
In 2022, Green Cities was proud to become a Founding Member of the Owners Group for mindful MATERIALS, an organization dedicated to creating a Common Materials Framework through a publicly available portal. The Portal seeks to connect and align sustainability and social health information to drive consistency across the real estate ecosystem.
