Section 1: Summary

1. Product Name, Classification, Product Description. Classification is the most applicable six-digit CSI MasterFormat number (Division plus Section). If several classifications apply, the primary designation is indicated in this space and others are listed in the Product Description or General Notes. If there is no classification, N/A is indicated and an explanation is provided in the Product Description. 

2. HPD version and tool reference. The current version of the HPD is v2.2. HPDs are almost always created using the HPDC’s online HPD Builder. The advantage of the Builder is that it automatically fills in all hazard information required by the Standard. The user needs only to provide the substance name and/or Chemical Abstract Service Registration Number (CAS RN), and the Builder automatically scans the requisite Priority Hazard Lists from scientific databases and provides the hazard warnings and GreenScreen scores in the proper format.

3. Inventory Method Header. This indicates which method was used to prepare the HPD – Nested Materials Inventory/ Material Threshold, Nested Materials Inventory/ Product Threshold, or Basic Inventory/ Product Threshold.

4. Specification of Inventory Method. This section clearly indicates 

• Inventory Reporting Format. 
  • In a Nested Materials Inventory, contents are reported first at the materials level. Substances are then itemized within each material. If a substance appears in multiple materials in the product, it will be listed multiple times in the inventory, appearing under each material where it is a constituent. 
  • In a Basic Inventory, materials are not identified and a single list of all substances within the product is created. 
• Threshold disclosed per 
  • Material – a threshold is specified for each material. 
  • Product – a single threshold is specified for the entire product.

5. Threshold. “Threshold” is key to understanding the precision of reporting used in the HPD (and its ability to comply with LEED, WELL, Cradle to Cradle, and other programs). The threshold is the amount or concentration of a substance that must be present for that substance to be reported, at the specified threshold level.

A lower threshold means that smaller amounts of substances will be reportable and therefore disclosure will be more complete. There are several ways thresholds can be reported: 

• Parts per million (ppm), in which a threshold of 100 ppm is more stringent and requires reporting of substances present at lower concentrations than a threshold of 1,000 ppm, and hence is likely to lead to disclosure of more substances. They can also be reported by percentages, with 100 ppm = 0.01%, 1,000 ppm = 0.1%, and 10,000 ppm = 1.0%. 
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS), based on the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. The SDS requires content reporting at 1,000 ppm (0.1%) only for reproductive toxicants, carcinogens, and category 1 mutagens, and at 10,000 ppm (1%) for all other hazard categories. The SDS is required to report certain hazardous contents that will be handled by workers in factories and does not require reporting of all substances, so it might not be as comprehensive as an HPD based on other methods.

Thresholds can apply to the whole product or to each material in the product. In the HPD Open Standard version 2, the Nested Materials Inventory method allows manufacturers to provide disclosure at different thresholds for different materials in one product – for example, 1,000 ppm for some materials and 100 ppm for others, depending on the level of information made available by suppliers. This summary of thresholds will indicate each of the levels represented by one or more materials in the product, so more than one level can be checked. If a per product threshold is specified, the level indicated applies to all substances in the product.

6. Residuals and Impurities. Residuals and Impurities are trace amounts of substances remaining after the manufacturing process that were not intentionally added for a functional purpose in the final product, defined as follows:

• Residual: a substance left over from a prior process, such as a residual monomer in a polymer from incomplete polymerization, that is not intended to remain in the final product 
• Impurity: a substance that was present in the raw material, such as asbestos that often is associated with vermiculite.

There are several ways that residuals and impurities are identified and quantified: they can be predicted from process chemistry, accepted as industry knowledge, adopted from research, and determined through measurement. In some cases, manufacturers can determine the quantities of residuals and impurities in their product; in other cases, methods for identifying and quantifying these substances are less well developed. HPD Open Standard version 2 recognizes this issue and requires that manufacturers state whether they have taken steps outlined in HPDC Emerging Best Practices, available on the HPDC website, to identify and disclose residuals and impurities: 

• “Considered” means that they have made an effort to identify the residuals and impurities; the HPD Open Standard outlines information to be reported 
• “Not Considered” means no such effort has been made and the manufacturer must explain why.

In a Nested Materials Inventory, the HPD must indicate the number of materials out of the total in which residuals and impurities were considered (in “X of Y” materials). In a Basic Inventory, the HPD must indicate whether they were “Partially Considered” to indicate that some but not all residuals and impurities were considered.

As Best Practices for identifying and quantifying residuals and impurities evolve, reporting will become more feasible and project teams should expect manufacturers to “consider” and provide this information more frequently.

7. Characterized, Screened, Identified. This section summarizes the completeness and type of disclosure in the HPD. 

• “Characterized” indicates whether the percent weight (quantity) and role or function are provided for all substances above the threshold indicated. 
• “Screened” indicates whether all substances above the threshold were screened for hazards using lists in the HPD Open Standard and whether results are disclosed. 
• “Identified” indicates whether all substances above the threshold are disclosed by name and identifier (Chemical Abstract Service Registration Number – CAS RN).

A manufacturer may withhold identification of one or more substances but still “characterize” and “screen” them as a way to protect proprietary information while still providing useful information about potential hazards. This approach complies with LEED v4 Material Ingredients credit, for example.

If Special Condition guidance is referenced in this section, the HPD references HPDC-approved procedures for specific materials or substances to which standard HPD content inventory and hazard screening methods don’t readily apply. HPDs using this guidance indicate “Yes Ex/SC,” and still meet LEED v4 requirements.

8. GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals scores. GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals is a program of the nonprofit organization Clean Production Action. It facilitates comparative chemical hazard assessment at the substance level. There are two types of GreenScreen results that can be reported in an HPD: 

• List Translator scores that are produced through an automated tool that screens against specified hazard lists. No assessment is performed. For more information on the GreenScreen List Translator™: http://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/method/greenscreen-list-translator
• Benchmark scores that are produced through a Certified Full GreenScreen Method assessment that includes a toxicological review of all available information from scientific studies, hazard lists, and modelling or analogs. For more information on the Full GreenScreen Method: http://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/method/fullgreenscreen-method

Benchmark scores represent a more comprehensive assessment than List Translator scores, developing hazard levels for a full set of environmental and human health endpoints.

The HPD summary includes: 

• Number of GreenScreen BM-4/BM-3 Contents. This section reports on the total number of substances with lower hazards – Benchmark-3 (use but there’s still opportunity for improvement) or Benchmark-4 (prefer – safer chemical). 
• Contents’ highest concern GreenScreen Benchmark or List Translator Score. This section reports on the most hazardous GreenScreen List Translator or Benchmark score found in any of the substances in the product

9. Nanomaterials. Nanomaterials are substances that have been engineered to be very small (down to 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair). Studies of the potential effects of different types of nanomaterials on the environment and human health are still in early stages, and significant uncertainty remains. Consistent with the precautionary principle, this section is intended to alert HPD users of the presence of nanomaterials in products.

10. Inventory and Screening Notes. Some of the data fields require that the manufacturer include further explanation in the Notes section – for example, an explanation why residuals and impurities were not considered, or the reason why certain substances have not been identified or screened. This section also gives the manufacturer an opportunity to provide additional information on any of the data elements in this section. When Basic Inventory method is used, it is noted in Inventory and Screening Notes.

11. Content in Descending Order of Quantity. This section is designed to give HPD users a quick overview of information provided in the Content Inventory in Section 2. For a Nested Materials Inventory, each material is listed with its constituent substances and their associated hazards and GreenScreen scores all in abbreviated form. For a Basic Inventory, substances and associated information are listed for the product as a whole. See Section 2 of the HPD for complete information and Section 6 of the HPD for a list of abbreviations.

12. Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Content. VOC content information must be provided for all liquid/wet-applied products; the information is not applicable to other products. 

• “Material (g/L))” – this is the quantity of non-exempt VOC content compared to the volume of the entire product as it is supplied, in grams per liter. 
• “Regulatory (g/L)” – this is the quantity of non-exempt VOC content compared only to the volume of the nonexempt content in the product in grams per liter. If the product contains water or other non-exempt VOCs in it, this ratio will be larger than the Material VOC. This measure is used by regulatory agencies. 
• “Exempt VOCs” – these VOCs do not contribute to smog formation and hence are exempted from outdoor air regulatory reporting. While not contributing to smog formation, some of the exempt VOCs still present health hazards to humans. 
• “Ultra-low VOC tints” – for tintable products, are ultra-low VOC tints available? Tinting systems are included in Section 4: Accessories. In addition to “yes” and “no,” a response of “NA” means that the product is not tintable.

13. Certifications and Compliance. This section lists certifications that are detailed in Section 3 of the Format. When applicable, VOC emissions and VOC content certifications are included here. Other certifications related to content (materials and substances) and health (hazards, etc.) may be included.

14. Consistency with Other Programs. This section of the HPD provides optional information on the consistency of the HPD with other programs. Currently the only program included is LEED v4. The LEED v4 Pre-Check Indicator provides a preliminary scan of the HPD – a preliminary indicator of consistency with specific requirements of the LEED v4 Material Ingredients credit. It is a mechanical cross-checking of inventory method; threshold; residuals and impurities; characterized, screened, and identified indicators with the specific requirements of the LEED v4 credit; and check of presence of entries for all fields required by HPD Open Standard. This Pre-Check does not assess data quality.

15. Third Party Verification. Third party verification is a program of desk audits to check aspects of the HPD.

16. Preparer and Verifier. Some manufacturers engage a third party to assist in preparing the HPD. Third parties can provide expertise in gathering and analyzing data and entering data. Third party preparers can also protect confidential data from suppliers, screening substances that are not identified, for example. The preparer is identified in this field. A third party verifier can also be identified in this field.

17. Screening, Published, and Expiration Dates. HPDs need to contain current data. They expire three years after the screening date. In addition, HPDs created with an earlier format (which can be used for one year after the release of the next major version of the Standard) expire three years after the next major version of the Standard was released. HPDs uploaded to the HPDC Public Repository are considered “published.” The Repository is the authoritative location for publishing HPDs.

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