“Healthy Building Materials: WELL v2™ Guide to Reducing VOCs, Lead & Toxic Chemicals”

What if the walls, floors, and furniture around you carried invisible threats to your health?

Imagine building or remodeling a space… and unknowingly filling the air, water, and surfaces of your home with invisible chemicals that affect your health every single day.
For decades, materials like asbestos, lead, mercury, and VOCs were standard in construction. Today, we know they can harm respiratory health, cognitive function, and even increase cancer risk.…

The MATERIALS concept in WELL v2™ not only works to eliminate them from new projects, but also to identify and manage risks in existing buildings.
It’s about choosing safer, more transparent, and optimized materials — from the paint on your walls to the sofa in your living room.

Because a healthy space starts with what you can’t see… but you breathe, touch, and live in.

The WELL v2™ Materials concept aims to change that — protecting people by reducing exposure to hazardous chemicals in both new and existing buildings.

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Why Materials Matter

Materials are everywhere: in paints, coatings, adhesives, furniture, flooring, insulation, plumbing, cleaning products, and even pesticides. Many contain chemicals that:

• Persist in the environment (legacy contaminants).
• Accumulate in the human body.
• Cause diseases, from asthma to neurological damage.

Did you know? Lead exposure alone accounted for an estimated 1 million deaths in 2017, even in places with regulations.

WELL’s Approach

The Materials concept tackles this issue with two key strategies:

1. Transparency – Promoting ingredient disclosure so we know what’s in the products we use.
2. Optimization – Choosing materials that are tested, certified, and proven safer for people and the environment.

Key Features of WELL v2™ Materials (X01–X12)

• X01–X03: Restrict and manage hazardous substances (asbestos, mercury, lead, PCBs, CCA).
• X04: Site remediation for contaminated land.
• X05–X06: Limit modern risks like PFAS, flame retardants, phthalates, and VOC emissions.
• X07–X08: Promote materials transparency and optimization with certifications like Declare, HPD, Cradle to Cradle.
• X09–X11: Manage waste, pesticides, and cleaning products responsibly.
• X12: Reduce human contact with pathogen-carrying surfaces.

Impact on Health & Environment

By implementing the Materials concept, projects can:

• Improve indoor air quality (IAQ).
• Protect workers, occupants, and nearby communities.
• Prevent exposure to toxic compounds.
• Drive market transformation towards green chemistry and safer products.

Practical Application

• Specify low-VOC paints, adhesives, and finishes.
• Choose furniture and flooring with third-party certifications.
• Avoid products with PFAS, HFRs, or phthalates.
• Implement sustainable waste and pest management.
• Use safer cleaning protocols and low-hazard products.

Conclusion

Healthy buildings start with healthy materials.
Every choice — from the paint on your walls to the chair you sit on — has the power to either harm or protect human health.

The WELL v2™ Materials concept helps ensure that what we can’t see, but touch, breathe, and live in is safe for all.

👉 Ready to make your next project WELL-aligned? Discover our free resources on healthier materials.

🛠️ WELL Materials Starter Kit

Transform your space with healthier materials and simple product swaps aligned with the WELL v2™ Materials concept:

💡 Philips LED Light Bulbs

Mercury-free, energy efficient, and safer than old CFL bulbs.

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🌬️ Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor

Track VOCs, humidity, CO₂, and fine particles to protect your health.

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🎨 Bonus Tip: When painting, always choose Low-VOC or Zero-VOC paints to protect your indoor air quality.