Our Mission

Transform the market for building materials to advance the best environmental, health and social practices.

Our Principles

The Right To Know.
We have a right to know what is in the products we specify, buy and use.

Precautionary Principle.
Take precautionary actions based upon the weight of available evidence and in the face of uncertainty.

The Responsibility of the Manufacturer.
Manufacturers possess the most information about the contents of their product and have a responsibility to be accountable for things they make.

Transparency.
Share all assumptions, methodology, data and analysis. Reward manufacturers who fully disclose contents and processes to allow for meaningful analysis.

Optimism.
Acknowledging that our goals are ambitious and difficult to attain, we believe they are within the grasp of committed professionals working in good faith.

Define the Ideal.
It is an act of optimism to set an ideal goal representing how we believe our products can be good for the world, rather than just issue prohibitions on what is less-bad.

Coalition and Consensus Building.
The sheer magnitude of tools, standards and ratings is now confusing and becoming counterproductive in the market place. HBN seeks consensus in establishing green materials standards.

Accessible Presentation.
Mindful of the complexity of the work we undertake, HBN will provide accurate materials that are elegant, informational and user-friendly.

Life Cycle Thinking.
Assess impacts along the entire life cycle of the material from extraction to disposal using a wide range of tools.