Building materials can help or hurt people and the environment. Here’s a guide to making smart choices.

The nonprofit Habitable (formerly Healthy Building Network) has been investigating the impacts of construction products for decades. Habitable takes a comprehensive view by considering the impacts of materials during production, installation, use, and disposal. “In addition to occupant health, we’re looking at exposure to toxic chemicals for workers, the surrounding communities, and the environment because these chemicals have impacts throughout their entire lifecycle,” says Teresa McGrath, chief research officer at Habitable. “We want to help people make smarter, holistic choices while being mindful of price and performance requirements.”

When choosing building materials for new construction or remodels, designers can use the red-to-green rankings for common product categories on Informed^TM: making a healthier choice is as simple as avoiding the red side of the spectrum and favoring the green side.