The AIA Materials Pledge
The Materials Pledge is an initiative by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to ensure that all aspects of the creation and use of materials are considered: Human Health, Climate Health, Ecosystem Health, Societal Health, and Circular Economy.
Only through a comprehensive approach of material characteristics and impacts can designers improve the health of the planet and the people that live on the planet.
We pledge to:
- Support Human Health by preferring products which support and foster life throughout their life cycles and seek to eliminate the use of substances that are hazardous.
- Support Social Health & Equity by preferring products from manufacturers who secure human rights in their own operations and in their supply chains, and which provide positive impacts for their workers and the communities where they operate.
- Support Ecosystem Health by preferring products which support and regenerate the natural air, water, and biological cycles of life through thoughtful supply chain management and restorative company practices.
- Support Climate Health by preferring products which reduce carbon emissions and ultimately sequester more carbon than emitted.
- Support a Circular Economy by reusing and improving buildings and by designing for resiliency, adaptability, disassembly and reuse aspiring to a zero-waste goal for global construction activities.
Plan for action:
Within one year, develop a standalone document or an addendum to your firm’s current sustainability/climate action plan that serves as a roadmap for your firm to educate staff and clients. The document should be updated accordingly to show progress and reflect milestones.
Sourced from aia.org
