Every material choice provides an opportunity to support human health, reduce environmental impact, and meet the design goals of a project. Because buildings last for decades, the materials used in their construction influence everything from indoor air quality to long-term maintenance to whether components can be reused at the end of life.

Choosing healthier materials supports:

  • Better indoor environments
  • Fewer toxics exposure risks
  • Easier reuse and recycling at end of life
  • Reduced hazardous waste
Biobased Materials

Biobased Materials & Bioregional Sourcing

Biobased materials—those made from agricultural byproducts, plant fibers, forestry residues, or other renewable resources—offer promising pathways to reduce carbon emissions, strengthen regional economies, and build more resilient communities. Increasingly, high-performance building products can be grown, manufactured, and supplied within California’s own bioregions.
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Benefits of Biobased Materials

Human Health

The materials used in buildings directly affect the people who live and work inside them. Many products contain chemicals that can impact indoor air quality, complicate recycling, or pose hazards during renovation or demolition. Tools such as Habitable’s Informed™ help designers, owners, and builders identify safer alternatives.

Reducing Toxins in the Material Stream

Toxic substances in building products don’t just affect indoor air—they create challenges throughout the material life cycle. Products containing hazardous chemicals:

  • Are harder to recycle or reuse
  • Can contaminate otherwise recoverable material streams
  • Often end up as hazardous waste at end of life

By selecting low-toxicity alternatives, projects can help build a safer, more circular material economy. Eliminating harmful chemicals improves material circularity, since toxic contaminants often limit recycling and reuse pathways.

Regenerative & Circular Material Strategies

Thoughtful material selection supports long-term building performance, reduces emissions, and helps conserve natural resources. Strategies include:

Reuse and Adaptation

  • Reuse existing buildings whenever possible
  • Salvage reusable components for new projects
  • Design for durability and future adaptability

Efficient Design & Construction

  • Use fewer materials through efficient design
  • Know standard material dimensions to reduce offcuts
  • “Design for fit” to reduce jobsite waste
  • Consider industrialized or modular construction, which can optimize fabrication and support future disassembly

Circular Economic Solutions

  • Reuse and deconstruction to keep materials in circulation
  • Recovering value from waste streams
  • Supporting markets for recycled and repurposed products

Regenerative Sourcing

Regenerative materials align with the health of ecosystems and communities by:

  • Reducing extraction impacts
  • Restoring landscapes
  • Supporting local and regional economies
  • Strengthening supply-chain resilience

Biobased materials and bioregional sourcing are key pathways for regenerative material selection.