A more sustainable future relies on the use of copper. The need to build structures that are healthy for their occupants and use less electricity and water, makes copper the top material choice for architectural and interior elements, building system controls, plumbing and HVAC equipment, mechanical systems and appliances, and energy generation, storage, and electrical applications.
Why is copper critical to a green and healthy building?
Copper’s versatility is a plus for better building construction, needed for structural necessities to aesthetic adornments, including roofing, wiring, renewable energy applications, and plumbing.
Building Better: A Guide to Copper in Green and Healthy Buildings [PDF - 2.16 MB]
3rd Party Verified Heath Product Declarations (HPDs)
Copper is one of the few materials to have products with HPDs verified by a 3rd party.
Click to view a list of third party verified HPD declarations
3E Exchange
CDA is committed to bringing material health transparency to green and healthy building products through the publication of over 700 copper alloy shared materials.
Why is copper critical to a green and healthy building?
Copper’s versatility is a plus for better building construction, needed for structural necessities to aesthetic adornments, including roofing, wiring, renewable energy applications, and plumbing.
Building Better: A Guide to Copper in Green and Healthy Buildings [PDF - 2.16 MB]
3rd Party Verified Heath Product Declarations (HPDs)
Copper is one of the few materials to have products with HPDs verified by a 3rd party.
Tube & Fittings Applications |
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Copper Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Tube - Type ACR - per ASTM B280-23 |
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Copper and Copper Alloy Press-Connect Pressure Fittings per ASME B16.51-21 |
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Copper Medical Gas Tube per ASTM B819-19 |
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Wrought Copper and Copper Alloy Solder-Joint Pressure Fittings per ASME B16.22-21 |
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Copper Natural Gas and Liquified Petroleum (LP) Gas Tube – Type GAS – per ASTM B837-19 |
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Copper Water Tube - Type K, L, or M - per ASTM B88-22 |
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Rod & Bar Applications |
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Copper and Copper Alloy Forging Rod, Bar, and Shapes per ASTM B124-20 |
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Free-Cutting Brass Rod, Bar and Shapes per ASTM B16-24 |
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Antimicrobial Applications |
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Copper-Nickel Alloy Plate, Sheet, Strip, and Rolled Bar with EPA Reg. for Antimicrobial Claims per ASTM B122-22 |
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Building Construction |
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Copper Sheet and Strip for Building Construction per ASTM B370-22 |
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Busbar Application |
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Copper conductor bar, rod, and shapes for electrical (bus) applications ASTM B187-20 |
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Life Cycle Assessment — Copper Data Resources
CDA supports the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) data to promote the sustainable use of copper materials. Copper industry datasets are submitted to recognized databases such as GaBi and ecoinvent, ensuring that manufacturers and stakeholders have access to reliable, up-to-date information for product-specific LCAs and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
For semi-fabrication LCAs and additional copper-specific resources, please visit the International Copper Association (ICA) website.
3E Exchange
One of the biggest hurdles for today’s manufacturers exploring options to streamline the safety of their products is gathering product and material data efficiently from suppliers. CDA and 3E Exhange have improved manufacturers’ abilities to achieve full material disclosure for safer product design through their publication of over 700 shared materials, which represent all the active wrought and cast copper and copper alloy products registered in the Unified Numbering System (UNS) for alloy designations, on the 3E Exchange platform. Each shared material contains information on the alloy’s contents, potential health, safety, and environmental impacts, and their status with various regulatory schemes like REACH and RoHS. This puts material transparency directly at the fingertips of manufacturers using or seeking to use copper and copper alloys, supporting their ability to meet product compliance requirements and obtain sustainable certifications for their products more easily.
3E Exchange [External website]
Mindful Materials
Building standards can be complex and difficult to navigate due to the sheer number of certifications, ecolabels, and frameworks, each with unique criteria and focus areas. For owners and operators, this complexity is compounded by the need to assess the materiality of products and choose the right disclosures that align with their sustainability goals. Without a consistent framework, it can be challenging to compare products, verify data, and ensure compliance, making informed decision-making a time-consuming and daunting task. As a manufacturer member we have the valuable opportunity to stay connected with the ever-evolving reporting ecosystem while actively shaping its future through collaboration and guidance.sustainable Minds Common Material Framework is a comprehesive tool that helps with organization linking frameworks to five key impact categories including Ecosystem Health, Circular Economy, Climate Health, Human Health and Social Health & Equity.
Mindful Materials [External website]
Sustainable Minds
Sustainable Minds transparency catalog offers a streamlined platform that is searchable by Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Division number making it easier for architects, engineers, and contractors to find, search, and specify products with transparency disclosures
You can find all of CDAs HPDs in their catolog.
Sustainable Minds [External website]