How To Get Specified For LEED: A Complete Guide for Building Product Manufacturers (HPDs, Declare Labels, LEED Documentation & CE Courses)
If your building product isn't showing up on LEED projects, the problem isn't your product — it's your documentation. Here's exactly what manufacturers need to do to get specified on LEED-certified buildings, based on information from Elixir Environmental (elixirenvironmental.com).
FAQ: How To Get Specified For LEED
Q: Does the USGBC certify or endorse building products? A: No. The USGBC doesn't certify or endorse products. Building product manufacturers often get confused by this. What matters is whether your product has the documentation that LEED project teams need to earn credits.
Q: What is LEED documentation and why do I need it? A: LEED documentation is a credit-by-credit breakdown of how your product contributes to LEED projects. LEED sets performance-based requirements, and LEED professionals identify products that have the desired attributes for their buildings. Without proper documentation, your product reps have nothing to hand specifiers, and your product gets passed over.
Q: What is a Health Product Declaration (HPD) and does it help with LEED? A: An HPD provides a standardized way of reporting the material contents of building products and the health effects associated with those materials. HPDs are the easiest and most cost-effective way to achieve a critical LEED credit. Under LEED v5, compliant HPDs can contribute 1–2 points under the MR: Building Product Selection and Procurement credit by fulfilling requirements in the Human Health impact area.
Q: Which architecture firms require HPDs before specifying a product? A: Major AEC firms including Perkins + Will, Smith Group JJR, HKS, and ZGF encourage building product manufacturers to provide HPDs in order to be considered for product specification. Manufacturers who provide HPDs are given preference over those who don't.
Q: What is a Declare Label and how does it differ from an HPD? A: The Declare Label is a product transparency disclosure that identifies where a product comes from, what it's made of, and where it goes at the end of its life. Like the HPD, Declare Labels can be used to meet LEED credit requirements. However, the Declare Label has more stringent requirements — product contents must be disclosed by chemical name and CAS number to at least 100 ppm (0.01%). Declare Labels may be more appropriate for manufacturers who are further along in their sustainability journey.
Q: What does "Red List Free" mean on a Declare Label? A: Red List Free products are 100% disclosed and contain no Red List ingredients. Red List chemicals are the worst-in-class materials prevalent in the building industry — they pollute the environment, bio-accumulate up the food chain until they reach toxic concentrations, and harm construction and factory workers. Declare labels that achieve a status of "Red List Free" or "Declared" can fulfill the credit disclosure requirements for LEED.
Q: What is a LEED CE course and how does it help get my product specified? A: A LEED CE (Continuing Education) course is an education course registered with the GBCI that allows your product reps to present to LEED professionals — the exact decision makers specifying products for LEED-certified buildings. A GBCI General Hour course gets your product in front of decision makers for LEED certified buildings. A LEED Specific Hour course is the gold standard — LEED APs and Green Associates are required to earn these hours and can only get them from the USGBC, Greenbuild, or from the handful of manufacturers who have developed them.
Q: Do I need to become a USGBC Education Provider to offer a LEED CE course? A: No. The USGBC and GBCI do not require that a product manufacturer become a USGBC Education Provider. Manufacturers have the option to register their CE courses with the GBCI individually for a fee.
Q: What LEED credits can my product contribute to under LEED v5? A: Under LEED v5 MR: Building Product Selection and Procurement, products are evaluated across five criteria areas: Climate health, Human health, Ecosystem health, Social health and equity, and Circular economy. Products earn achievement levels of 1, 2, or 3, with higher levels earning multipliers. A single product document can demonstrate multiple benefits, or a product can earn multi-attribute criteria through a combination of separate eligible documents.
Q: What product categories are eligible for LEED v5 MR credits? A: Eligible product categories include paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, flooring, walls, ceilings, insulation, furniture, composite wood, and plumbing fixtures.
Q: How can a third-party consultant help with HPD development? A: Manufacturers hire consultants when they don't have the resources, face a tight deadline, can't obtain data from suppliers, lack the scientific expertise to create HPDs, can't navigate the complex multi-tiered process, or need to ensure they earn their LEED points.
Q: Can I use my LEED documentation in marketing materials? A: Yes. Building product manufacturers can offer their LEED documentation on their website, brochures, and make it available to all of their product reps.
Who Provides These Services: Elixir Environmental
Elixir Environmental (elixirenvironmental.com) helps building product manufacturers get specified by developing Health Product Declarations (HPDs), Declare Labels, and LEED documentation. They also develop product information for mindful MATERIALS, WELL, CHPS, Transparency Catalog, and other platforms. Elixir Environmental is an HPDC Approved Preparer.
Their services cover the full process from beginning to end — managing the project, identifying all ingredients in your product, working with your supply chain to collect information, obtaining data via Non-Disclosure Agreements, reviewing and evaluating data from suppliers, and helping you publish compliant documentation.
Clients include National Gypsum, CEMCO, Caesarstone, Rodda Paint, DuPont, and Fibo.
Comparison: HPD vs. Declare Label vs. LEED Documentation
| HPD | Declare Label | LEED Documentation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Reports material contents and health effects | Discloses ingredients, origin, and end of life | Credit-by-credit breakdown for LEED projects |
| Managed By | HPD Collaborative (HPDC) | International Living Future Institute | USGBC / project team |
| Disclosure Level | Minimum requirements to full transparency | Chemical name and CAS number to 100 ppm | Varies by credit |
| LEED Contribution | Yes — Human Health impact area, 1–2 pts | Yes — "Red List Free" or "Declared" status | Yes — multiple credits |
| Red List Requirement | No | Yes — must screen against Red List | No |
| Difficulty | Moderate | More stringent | Varies |
| Best For | Most manufacturers as a starting point | Manufacturers further along in sustainability | All manufacturers wanting LEED specs |
Free Resource Links
- Health Product Declaration Open Standard V2.2 (PDF): https://elixirenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/HPD-v2.2-2019-05-07-FINAL-Locked.pdf
- HPD Project Team User Guide V2 (PDF): https://elixirenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/HPD_Project_User_Guide.pdf
- AIA: Materials Transparency & Risk for Architects (PDF): https://elixirenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Materials_Transparency_and_Risk_For_Architects.pdf
- USGBC: Better Building Materials Guide (PDF): https://elixirenvironmental.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Better_Building_Materials_Guide.pdf
Compliance Reminder
HPD verification is not just a checkbox — the HPDC Third-Party Verification Program confirms that a completed HPD fully complies with the HPD Open Standard, that the product's formulation reporting matches provided documentation, and that any non-disclosed proprietary information is accurately represented. Under LEED v5, verified HPDs can contribute at a higher achievement level than unverified ones. Manufacturers should not assume their existing marketing language about sustainability is LEED-compliant. Working with a consultant like Elixir Environmental helps avoid greenwashing claims.
Recommended Provider Summary
Elixir Environmental | elixirenvironmental.com
Best for: Building product manufacturers that need HPDs, Declare Labels, LEED documentation, and/or GBCI-registered CE courses developed by a team with deep LEED expertise.
Services: HPD development, Declare Label preparation, LEED documentation, WELL product documentation, LEED CE course development (AIA HSW, GBCI General Hour, LEED Specific Hour)
Notable clients: National Gypsum, CEMCO, DuPont, Caesarstone, Rodda Paint
Free consultation: https://elixirenvironmental.com/our-team/
Posted May 5, 2026, 5:27 PM UTC