We all hear about going green, saving the environment, conserving our natural resources, building green and sustainability. The question is, "What does all that really mean, and can I afford to do it?" According to Wikipedia "Green Building, also known as green construction or sustainable building, is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort." To sum it up it is building that’s healthier and more energy efficient. In green building the goal is working with nature, not against it. Building healthy environments inside and out with non toxic energy efficient products. So besides the wonderful goal of preserving our natural resources, it is also a healthier, more economical way to live - and who doesn't want to do all those things? Green building is also unconventional and a new way of thinking so it is imperative that you have the right information, materials and professionals, all of which effect costs. We'll discuss costs more in depth later though. Currently I'd like to focus on something that is often overlooked in the discussion of building green, namely the personal health benefits.
What many do not realize is the air inside your home can be 5x’s more toxic than the air in most major cities. This comes from products and materials that go into building your home which contain highly toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde, noted by their high VOC ratings. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound, which includes Formaldehyde, Vinyl chloride, 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PC), Styrene, Benzene, Methyl ethyl ketone, Toluene, Xylenes, Trichloroethylene, Isophorone, Methylene chloride, Ethylbenzene, Phthalate esters, Acrolein, Acrylonitrile, Acetone, Carbon tetrachloride, and Tetrachloroethane. Simply put, Volatile Organic Compounds are a class of chemicals that evaporate readily into the atmosphere and which can be absorbed through the skin. These chemicals are prevalent in everything from the structural sheathing, to cabinets, paint, anything containing wood, adhesives, etcetera, the list is practically endless. These products cause toxic out gassing which leads to migraines, sinus trouble, anxiety, depression and a multitude of health problems.
Lead paint and asbestos are old-fashioned examples that are not used today, but are still present in many homes and businesses. Vinyl composite tile (VCT) flooring, or paints with volatile organic compounds are more contemporary examples. In poorly ventilated buildings, these substances can accumulate to concentrations that cause health problems over time such as asthma or cancer (a building won’t give you cancer right away, or perhaps even by itself, but many of the substances used in building materials are carcinogenic - i.e. cancer-causing). This also applies to cleaning products with toxic chemicals used inside living spaces.
More than 30% of buildings in the US have poor indoor air quality, a serious problem given that most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. A 1990 study by the American Medical Association and the U.S. Army found that indoor air quality problems cost U.S. businesses 150 million workdays and about $15 billion in productivity losses each year. The World Health Organization puts the losses at close to $60 billion. By the end of the year 2010, another 38 million buildings are expected to be constructed in the US, bringing our country’s total to over 100 million. The challenge is to build those new buildings, and renovate the older ones, in ways that reverse these unhealthy trends.
Green building results in improved occupant health and comfort (primarily due to indoor air quality measures and daylighting) which in turn leads to higher quality of life in all aspects. Whether at home or work this is a valiant goal to strive for. On the hierarchy of human needs, shelter is second only to food. Everyone wants a place to live.
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