Product specification doesn’t just happen, it takes a bit of strategy to achieve! Stephen R. Covey said, “Make time for planning: Wars are won in the general’s tent.” But this isn’t war, this is business! Yes, but planning ahead in any situation is time well spent, especially when it deals with product specification. The more preparing done in the “general’s tent” for specification, the more time and energy is available to handle anything unexpected and to be one step ahead of the competition.

So what is the #1 way you can plan ahead for specification? Get a Health Product Declaration (HPD) done for your product! As discussed in an earlier blog, How to Get Specified by Architects, specification isn’t hard like “building a spaceship” hard, but it is a process.

It’s worth the effort, though, for three main reasons:

HPDs offer up front transparency

Having an HPD prepared and ready shows specifiers that you know what’s in your product and you’re serious about getting specified. Product transparency creates opportunities for product manufacturers. And with LEED v4, product manufacturers can help contribute up to two points under the LEED credit MR Credit 4: Building product disclosure and optimization - material ingredients. Architects, specifiers, and LEED consultants want to know how a building product impacts health. They want to maximize their point accumulation! If your company is prepared, you have a much greater chance to get specified.

HPD’s equal progressive thinking

Having an HPD prepared and knowing the associated benefits indicates an understanding of the value of an HPD. It also shows that you are thinking about the future and planning ahead! While HPD’s aren’t a new concept, they’re not required…yet. Having HPD’s prepared and educating your product reps about HPD’s and how LEED relates to your product, is beneficial to your business growth. A no-cost resource like our Free LEED Exam Prep course is great way to educate your product reps. Further, we offer a free course on HPD’s to educate both design professionals and manufacturers about this important documentation. There is no reason why all your product reps can’t be educated about HPD’s.

HPDs aren’t going away

In an earlier blog, we shared that the USGBC has revealed a new version of the LEED standard. LEED v4.1 means changes and opportunity for the product manufacturing industry. More and more product specifiers are requiring HPD’s, and part of “winning the war in the general’s tent” involves utilizing the resources available now, before HPD’s are required and everyone is clamoring for one! While it could be a long time before transparency documentation is required for everyone, the fact is, HPD’s aren’t going away anytime soon. Plan ahead and get yours done now!

As mentioned previously, creating an HPD is a process and it can be done independently using the HPDC website and the HPD builder. However, you can maximize time and energy by using a third-party consultant like Elixir Environmental, and many product manufacturers save lots of time (and avoid lots of stress) this way.

Failure to plan is planning to fail!

Get your HPD 2.1 in order and published with the HPDC. This allows you to be presented to the largest architects in the nation, as many of them won’t consider your product if it doesn’t have an HPD already. It also allows you to say that your product can contribute to the transparency documentation on the LEED v4 credits. Don’t be caught in the trenches without a battle plan! Have you already “spent time in the general’s tent”, incorporating HPD’s into your product specification plan? If so, what advice can you give someone just starting the HPD process?