Kathleen Egan Joins the Board of Habitable

At ecomedes, we have always believed that better data leads to better buildings. So when we say that Kathleen Egan joining the board of Habitable feels like a natural next step, we mean it in the most literal sense.

If you work in architecture, engineering, interior design, or sustainable procurement, Habitable's research has probably shaped decisions you have made, even if you did not know it at the time.

Formerly known as Healthy Building Network, Habitable has spent more than two decades investigating the health and environmental impact of building materials. Their work goes well beyond occupant health. They examine toxic chemical exposure for workers, surrounding communities, and the environment across the full product lifecycle, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, installation, use, and eventual disposal.

That research powers their Informed platform, which helps building professionals identify healthier product choices using a clear, science-based ranking system. It is rigorous, practical, and built for the people who actually specify, procure, and build.

Why This Matters for the Building Industry

The professionals ecomedes serves, architects, engineers, specifiers, and sustainability leads, are navigating one of the most complex material landscapes in recent memory. Sustainability requirements are tightening. Client expectations are rising. And the volume of product data, certifications, and claims continues to grow faster than most teams can process.

In this environment, credible research infrastructure is not a nice-to-have. It is the foundation that makes confident decision-making possible.

Habitable provides that foundation. Their work gives building professionals the evidence base to move from intention to action, to specify healthier materials without spending hours chasing documentation or second-guessing claims.

That is exactly the gap ecomedes was built to close, too.

What Kathleen Brings to the Table

Kathleen Egan has spent her career focused on one core problem: sustainability goals fail when the tools to act on them do not exist. Ecomedes was built on that premise. The platform aggregates building product data in one place so that specifiers and procurement teams can search, compare, and verify without the friction that usually slows sustainable procurement down.

As a board member at Habitable, Kathleen brings that practitioner lens into an organization doing critical upstream research. She understands what building professionals actually need when they sit down to make a spec decision, and she knows how to translate complex data into something actionable.

It is a pairing that makes sense. Habitable produces the science. Ecomedes helps professionals act on it. Kathleen sitting at that intersection is exactly where she should be.

A Shared Commitment

The materials economy is changing. Regulations are evolving, supply chains are under scrutiny, and the professionals designing and specifying the built environment are being asked to make better decisions with more accountability than ever before.

Ecomedes and Habitable are both part of the infrastructure that makes that possible. We are proud of Kathleen's appointment, and we are excited about what it means for the work ahead.

To learn more about Habitable and their mission, visit habitablefuture.org.