Nearly 11 percent of global carbon emissionscan be directly attributed to the production ofconstruction materials. Typically less visible,but no less important, are the impacts thatbuilding materials have on human health andecosystems during their extraction, production,transportation, installation, and disposal.Mitigating the most harmful consequencesof building materials is necessary to realizeboth business and government sustainabilitytargets and support healthy, resilient citiesthroughout the world.The movement to prioritize better materialsin real estate has accelerated significantlyover the past several decades. Architects anddesigners, who are traditionally on the frontlines of material selection, have mainlychampioned these efforts. Today, stakeholdersacross the industry are recognizing thatfailure to address building material impactscould hinder project success, financialperformance, and the attainment of healthand sustainability goals.Until recently, sustainability efforts in theindustry have focused primarily on energyefficiency and reducing operational carbon—the energy required to keep buildings at anideal temperature, lighted, ventilated, andpowered. Today, the urgency to decarbonize,spurred by investor trends, regulatoryrequirements, and community pressures,is driving industry stakeholders to alsoconsider embodied carbon, or the footprintof the materials in their buildings.Traditionally, building products are formulatedin distant factories and travel thousands ofmiles before reaching their final destinations.An enormous amount of energy is requiredto extract, produce, and transport thesematerials, resulting in significant greenhousegases emitted into the environment duringeach stage. According to the United Nations’2022 Global Status Report for Buildings andConstruction, the real estate industry is notcurrently on track to achieve net zero carbonby 2050. If global carbon emissions do notachieve net zero by 2050, the world’s averagetemperatures are at risk of surpassing the1.5-degree Celsius threshold set by the ParisEvery day, development anddesign teams around the worldmake important choices aboutbuilding materials, and combined,the effects of these choices havefar-reaching consequences forproject success, human health,and ecosystems throughoutthe world.7 The Materials Movement: IntroductionAgreement. Addressing the carbon emissionsfrom materials will be essential to meetingindustry goals and avoiding the worst effectsof climate change.At the same time, awareness has grown aboutthe impact of construction materials on indoorair quality and human health. While theevidence base continues to evolve, the effectsof certain compounds, such as lead, mercury,formaldehyde, asbestos, and other toxinscommonly found in building products arerelatively well studied. Over the past fewdecades, these substances have been phasedout of many products because of enhancedregulatory action, consumer demand, andchanges in manufacturing processes.Yet thousands of potentially harmful chemicalsare still present in commonly used buildingproducts. These chemicals can negativelyaffect the health of future tenants as wellas those who may never step foot into thebuilding. Toxins released during manufacturingand disposal processes harm workers,communities, and ecosystems. Since peopleof color and those with low incomes aremore likely to live in industrial areas or workin construction and related trades, thedisparities often fall along racial andsocioeconomic lines.However, thanks to the dedicated efforts ofleading real estate companies, advocacyorganizations, and product manufactures,it is easier than ever to make smart choicesabout materials.Often, the most sustainable choice is tosimply reuse a building that already exists.Since most of the predicted building stockfor 2050 exists today, building retrofitswill become increasingly common—andnecessary—as owners adapt to energyefficiency regulations while avoidingembodied carbon. Similarly, embracing acircular economy by specifying reclaimed,salvaged, and recycled materials minimizesstrain on natural resource stocks and avoidscarbon emissions and pollution associatedwith material manufacturing.Real estate leaders have a wealth of tools attheir disposal to make informed decisionsabout materials. Product disclosure andtransparency in the form of EnvironmentalProduct Declarations (EPDs) and HealthProduct Declarations (HPDs) are required formany green building certification programs,and developers and owners are recognizingthe value of healthy and green features intheir buildings. Combined, these efforts aresupporting the movement toward materialsthat are better for people and the planet.Although progress has been substantial,more robust changes in the buildingmaterials landscape will be necessary tomeet global emission targets and ensurehealthy and equitable communities.Fortunately, perfection is not necessary,and incremental changes made toward onegoal, like reducing embodied carbon, arelikely to support other desirable outcomesfor tenants, workers, communities, and realestate itself.