Mindful MATERIALS (mM) is a free online aggregator of sustainability information for design professionals and manufacturers. It was created in 2014 by HKS, an international architecture firm, as a user-friendly platform that promotes product transparency and optimization information across the industry. The mM L3C is a low-profit LLC formed by the mM collaborative, which is made up of a network of leading building industry professionals.
To be eligible for the mM library, manufacturers must disclose information that satisfy established standards for at least one of six categories: VOCs, material ingredients, environmental profile, material sourcing, social responsibility, or other transparency information. These include standards by building certification programs such as LEED v4, the Living Building Challenge, the WELL Building Standard, Declare, and C2C; Product Specific Type II EPDs and LCAs that meet ISO/EN Standards; CDPH 01350 emissions standards; and FSC status. Manufacturers share this information with volunteer-led mM review teams, who work with them to verify the information provided. Manufacturers are responsible for the accuracy of their claims, as well as for updating their data. Users are notified when information has expired or been modified. The mM library is directly integrated with certification databases, and design professionals can search by CSI Division, specific transparency programs, LEED v4 compliance, WELL Feature compliance, and more. Products that qualify for the mM Library can also use the mM label. This label is not a certificate; it is a sticker for manufacturers’ product binders that allows designers to identify products with mM achievements.