Declare Chemical Transparency Program Released in European Building Market

The nutrition label for products expands into Europe for manufacturers, architects and designers
Jan 24, 2019 11:30 AM ET
Campaign: Press Releases

BOLZANO, Italy, January 24, 2019 /3BL Media/ - The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) and Living Future Europe Initiative (LFEI) announce the release of a new edition of the Declare product transparency label for the European building and manufacturer market. The Declare Europe launch is taking place in Bolzano during the 2019 Klimahouse conference, which is focused on the exchange of ideas, innovations and insights on the latest trends in the energy-efficiency and sustainable construction sector.

Declare is a transparency platform and product database that is changing the materials marketplace.The program’s simplicity and ease of use by both manufacturers and product specifiers have helped fuel market demand for chemical transparency and healthier building products.

“The success of Declare in the United States has been in large part because of the program’s ability to take complex chemical information of products and communicate that to architects, designers and manufacturers in a simple and compelling way,” Amanda Sturgeon, CEO of ILFI shared at the conference.

Carlo Battisti, the Executive Director of LFEI continued, “Similar to sectors like food or textile, the demand for healthy products and clear ingredient information from manufacturers for the construction industry is crucial, especially considering the time we spend inside of buildings. Declare is the comprehensive and effective answer we expected in the European market. It is the transparency revolution that changes the rules of the game for the benefit of everyone.”

The Declare transparency program aligns with multiple sustainability certification programs such as the Living Building Challenge, LEED and WELL, building product legislation, and purchasing programs. Through ILFI’s work with select leading product manufacturers in Europe, the program has been enhanced to best suit the European building market. Declare labels satisfy requirements like the Living Building Challenge Red List, REACH SVHC, and SIN List chemicals present in the final product. Products free of these chemicals are highlighted within the Declare label and in ILFI’s database of Declare products.

About the International Living Future Institute (ILFI): The International Living Future Institute is an environmental NGO committed to catalyzing the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. ILFI is premised on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, the built environment’s most ambitious performance standard. It is a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future. Declare is a nutrition label for products. It is also a transparency platform and product database that is changing the materials marketplace. The Declare program meets the product reporting requirements of the Living Building Challenge and other green building certification programs.

About Living Future Europe Initiative: Established in 2018, the Living Future Europe Initiative (LFEI) seeks to hasten the transition towards regenerative design in Europe. LFEI’s goal is to pursue European market alignment and adaptations of the Living Building Challenge (LBC) alongside partner organizations and manufacturers aligned with ILFI principles.