Built on Transparency: the Power of Health Product Declarations
Welcome to June, a time to celebrate s’mores (it’s National Camping Month), listen to literature (Audiobook Appreciation Month) and plant some peonies (Perennial Gardening Month), to call out just a few of the month’s designated observances. Of course, there’s one we can’t help but embrace above all others, especially this year. June is Employee Wellness Month, and today, we’re spotlighting the importance of one of our favorite industry firsts: our Health Product Declarations (HPDs).
We’ve been talking a lot about our recent WELL-inspired office renovation (and unabashedly will continue to do so), but the fact is, human health and product transparency have always been priorities of ours. In 2019, soon after publishing the first Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for hand dryers, we published our industry’s first HPDs—once again setting a trailblazing path and demonstrating our commitment to transparency in our products and processes.
Just What Are These HPDs?
Health Product Declarations are a standardized format for the transparent disclosure of building product ingredients and associated hazards. Developed by instructions set forth by the Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC), HPDs are tools that help buyers and specifiers better understand the potential health impacts of a product’s materials and make more informed product selections.
The HPDC’s thorough evaluation and verification of the XLERATOR®, XLERATOReco®, ThinAir® and XLERATORsync® Hand Dryers culminated in corresponding Health Product Declarations (HPDs) of all four signature products.
“We work hard to source the best materials from quality vendors that are as local as possible, so we are happy to share what goes into our products,” says our company president, Denis Gagnon. “Our primary goal has always been to influence the entire industry to pursue greater transparency in matters of sustainability and health.”
Why HPDs Matter… More and More
As common concern for public health and safety has continued to grow, manufacturers like Excel Dryer have stepped up their efforts to demonstrate their dedication to responsible practices.
EPDs are about the environmental impact of a product, whereas HPDs revolve more around associated chemical make-up of a product’s components. Like EPDs, HPDs are complementary to life cycle documentation and are required on an increasing number of building projects.
Empowering your design in the modern age is all about making healthier material choices. As we emphasize in our new continuing education unit (CEU) course detailing our WELL-guided office transformation, HPD publication is a critical factor to seek when sourcing any building product—and one specifiers will always find (along with a Works with WELL listing) when exploring hand hygiene solutions from Excel.
As you think about ways to recognize Employee Wellness Month within your own organization, we hope you’ll look around your facility and consider all the products it houses. Once you get to the restrooms, feel free to give us a buzz. (Oh, that reminds us: it’s also National Pollinators Month! Have we mentioned our backyard bees?…)