Healthy Materials
Episode 108 of the FOOTPRINT+ podcasts podcast, hosted by FOOTPRINT+, titled "Healthy Materials" was published on November 20, 2025 and runs 45 minutes.
November 20, 2025 ·45m · FOOTPRINT+ podcasts
Summary
The UK has some of the highest use of flame retardants, many of which are toxic to health, in the world. Many of these chemicals show up in building materials that you are specifying today. Some manufacturers are taking steps to design out toxic chemicals of concern, but how do you find identify and specify building materials that fundamentally protect, restore, and enhance the health of humans and highly functioning ecosystem? Learn about projects leading this market transformation and how to create opportunities for immediate, meaningful actions as we cover: The enormity of the problem of pervasive chemicals and the impact to human health and wellness The programs and processes available to verify healthy materials How to set out key intervention points in the design and construction process to optimise for health outcomes Improve your own materials palette based on the resources and case studies shared Chairperson Colleen Large, Healthy Sustainable Materials - Brightworks Sustainability Speakers Asif Din, Sustainability Director - Perkins + Will Leila Diana Behjat, Director - Healthy Materials Lab Martijn Horsman, Sustainable Development Manager - Redevco
Episode Description
The UK has some of the highest use of flame retardants, many of which are toxic to health, in the world. Many of these chemicals show up in building materials that you are specifying today. Some manufacturers are taking steps to design out toxic chemicals of concern, but how do you find identify and specify building materials that fundamentally protect, restore, and enhance the health of humans and highly functioning ecosystem?
Learn about projects leading this market transformation and how to create opportunities for immediate, meaningful actions as we cover:
-
The enormity of the problem of pervasive chemicals and the impact to human health and wellness
-
The programs and processes available to verify healthy materials
-
How to set out key intervention points in the design and construction process to optimise for health outcomes
-
Improve your own materials palette based on the resources and case studies shared