California’s leadership on climate policy is accelerating the need for practical, project-level solutions that work for small development teams - especially in material selection, where embodied carbon and human health intersect. This session reframes material decision-making as an opportunity to align policy compliance with better building outcomes without adding complexity or cost burden. The presentation will explore how natural and biobased materials can help project teams, especially those of small development projects, meet the intent of AB 2446 by addressing carbon, toxicity, availability, and circularity in a single decision. Rather than relying on complex datasets or narrowly defined performance metrics, these materials offer inherently climate-smart characteristics that simplify compliance and reduce the need for specialized expertise. Attendees will be introduced to science based research and tools such as Informed, BEAM, and the Builder’s Guide as enabling resources that translate policy drivers into clear design and procurement pathways. Among the multitude of material selection tools available in the market, these tools are curated to be more accessible to small scale projects that often lack robust design analysis or dedicated sustainability consultants. Case studies will demonstrate how these tools are being developed to support emerging California policies as well as making climate-smart material decisions achievable for lean development teams.

This session is eligible for 1 GBCI CE hour and 1 AIA LU|Elective CE hour. Instructions to log CEUs will be provided in the post-Conference email.