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Start with the job the material must do, set measurable minimum performance requirements, and only then compare options for life-cycle impacts, health, sourcing, durability, end of life, and cost. There is no universally “sustainable” material: the right choice depends on the application, service conditions, location, and strength of the available evidence.
1. Define the function and performance floor
Describe what the material or component must do and the conditions it will face. A material that performs well in one use may be unsuitable in another, so define the application before drawing up a shortlist. The U.S. Department of Energy’s materials-selection framework puts use case, geometry, loading conditions, and performance requirements at the start of selection (DOE framework, August 2023).
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Set a minimum acceptable level for each requirement that matters to the project. Depending on the application, that could include strength, stiffness, weight, heat or moisture tolerance, wear, appearance, fire or chemical resistance, cleanability, and expected service life. Specify how requirements will be verified, including applicable test methods and jurisdictional rules with the relevant project specialists. Treat these thresholds as pass-or-fail gates, not as preferences that can be traded away for a favorable environmental score.
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Identify the environmental and human-health concerns that matter most in the specific application. AIA’s Materials Pledge groups considerations into human health, social health and equity, ecosystem health, climate health, and circular economy; its starter guide also recommends seeking transparency and health information from manufacturers (AIA Materials Pledge Starter Guide, November 30, 2023).
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Separate non-negotiables from ranking preferences. A non-negotiable might rule out a candidate if it cannot meet a safety requirement or provide evidence a project requires. Preferences help distinguish among candidates that have already cleared the performance gates. AIA’s Healthier Materials Protocol, November 30, 2023 offers a process for defining healthier-material goals and criteria.
3. Build a shortlist around equivalent function
Consider whether the need can be met by changing the component or system as well as by substituting its material. The European Environment Agency recommends focusing on the function delivered, which can reveal alternatives that a material-for-material search misses (EEA, “Designing safe and sustainable products requires a new approach for chemicals”).
Compare candidates that provide equivalent service over the relevant period. Equal masses are not a fair basis if one option requires more material, replacement sooner, or a different design to meet the same function. Keep only candidates that plausibly meet the required performance floor, then gather evidence for those options.
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4. Gather product-specific evidence
Ask manufacturers for evidence tied to the exact product and intended use. Depending on the project, useful documents may include environmental product declarations (EPDs), ingredient disclosures or Health Product Declarations, technical data sheets, test reports, feedstock and sourcing information, and repair or end-of-life instructions. AIA lists EPDs and health or product-disclosure approaches among its transparency resources in the Materials Pledge Starter Guide.
For building products, the U.S. Green Building Council’s January 2026 material-health briefing identifies EC3 as a free database of building-material EPDs and lists transparency catalogs and HPD resources (USGBC briefing, January 2026). Check that a database actually covers the product and that the declaration or disclosure is current and relevant before relying on it.
What an EPD can—and cannot—tell you
An EPD reports environmental information developed using life-cycle assessment methods; it is not, by itself, a product safety certificate or an endorsement that the product is better than alternatives. ISO 14025:2026, Edition 2, published in June 2026, sets requirements for EPD programs and declarations and specifies the use of ISO 14040/14044 life-cycle assessment in their development (ISO 14025:2026).
Use an EPD as evidence for the environmental questions it addresses. Use ingredient or health disclosures to investigate composition and health-related concerns. Transparency helps reveal what is in a product, but disclosure alone does not establish that it meets a health goal; the AIA protocol treats transparency and healthier-material goals as distinct parts of the evaluation (AIA Healthier Materials Protocol).
5. Check whether environmental comparisons are fair
Before comparing EPD results, verify that the products provide equivalent functions and that the declarations use comparable scopes. An apparent numerical advantage may reflect different assumptions or included life-cycle stages rather than a better-performing product.
| Check | What to compare | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Product and function | Whether the products serve the same application and provide equivalent service | Comparing unlike products can make a result misleading. |
| Declared unit | The quantity or functional basis used to report results | Figures based on different units cannot be treated as directly comparable without a sound conversion. |
| System boundary and life-cycle stages | Which processes and stages are included | A result covering fewer stages may not represent the same impact scope. |
| Geographic and data assumptions | Location assumptions, data period, and other stated conditions | Production and transport assumptions can affect results and relevance to your project. |
| Product-category rules and program | Applicable rules and EPD program requirements | Differences in rules or methods can limit a like-for-like reading. |
If these details do not align, record the mismatch and avoid claiming that the lower figure proves one product is better overall. ISO 14025 provides the EPD framework, but it does not supply a project-specific comparison of the products under consideration (ISO 14025:2026).
6. Examine chemistry, sourcing, and end of life
Use ingredient and supply-chain disclosures to identify questions that need review; do not treat the mere presence of a disclosure as proof of safety or sustainability. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s material-selection method recommends starting with a parts list, identifying materials and chemicals, assessing health and environmental impacts, and checking feedstock selection (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Material selection). It names FSC, PEFC, and the Sustainable Agriculture Standard as examples of certification programs. Check each program’s scope and current criteria: certification for a defined issue is not proof of all-around sustainability.
Ask where feedstocks come from and what happens to the product when it is damaged or no longer needed. Look for practical ways to extend its life, such as maintenance and repair, and consider whether components can be separated for reuse or recycling. The EEA notes that durable, repairable, less-complex products with separable components are easier to repair or recycle (EEA guidance). A material described as recyclable is not necessarily recovered in the infrastructure available where the product will be used or discarded.
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7. Compare the cost of the service life, not only the purchase price
Include the costs likely to accrue over the product’s life: initial investment, replacement, operation, maintenance, repair, and disposal. A cheaper material at purchase may not be the lower-cost choice if its expected service life or upkeep differs, but do not assume that any alternative will save money without project-specific figures.
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NIST’s BEES approach combines environmental assessment with life-cycle cost considerations for building products and includes those cost categories (NIST BEES 3.0 Technical Manual and User Guide, February 19, 2017). Treat it as a building-product example rather than transferring its comparison uncritically to unrelated sectors.
8. Make and document the selection
Once candidates meet the required performance thresholds, compare them against the project’s stated priorities. A concise decision record helps keep the choice tied to evidence rather than a single label or attractive claim.
- Record the brief: note the function, operating conditions, measurable performance limits, applicable tests, and service-life assumptions.
- List the qualifying options: include only candidates that meet the mandatory requirements, or clearly mark unresolved evidence that prevents a pass decision.
- Compare the same dimensions: assess relevant life-cycle impacts, ingredient and health evidence, feedstock origin, expected life, maintenance and repair, realistic end-of-life routes, and whole-life cost.
- Note evidence quality: identify product-specific documents, dates, boundaries, assumptions, missing information, and any limits on comparison.
- Explain the trade-offs: state why the selected option best fits the project’s priorities and what uncertainty remains, without presenting it as universally superior.
This approach follows the central distinction between performance constraints and sustainability priorities: first establish which options can do the job, then compare the qualifying choices using evidence suited to the application.
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