The EPA has reported that levels of indoor air pollutants may be two to five time higher than outdoor levels. The air quality in many homes may be harmful to its occupants, who typically spend about 65% to 90% of their time indoors.
The medical community, government bodies, building scientists and home builders have only recently started to investigate the sources of indoor air pollution, and to develop effective and affordable strategies to reduce and totally eliminate its sources.
Air pollutants and their sources are numerous. Some of the most common pollutants include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), radon gas, mold spores, dust mites and airborne particles.
Additionally, a number of indoor pollutants are not produced by the materials used in home construction, but are “imported” into the home in a variety of ways. Pollutants such as pet dander, micro organisms, pollen, pesticides, smoke and cleaning solvents are the most common types of “imported” pollutants.
Following the dramatic rise in energy costs in the 1970’s, architects and builders started a trend to construct homes that were tighter and more energy efficient. Better fitting windows and doors, higher levels of insulation, extensive use of foam and caulking all resulted in homes that were almost air tight and could not “breathe”. These homes in effect trapped all of the home’s pollutants within the home, creating a toxic brew for its occupants. This situation was made even worse because over the last 30 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of manufactured woods (particle board, plywood MDF) over solid wood building materials. These engineered wood products are made using high levels of glues, finishes and adhesives that are loaded with harmful VOCs.
Modern, almost air tight homes with inadequate air exchange do not allow for sufficient ventilation to remove this indoor air pollution, so the air within these homes gets worse and worse and the home’s occupants may get sick from long term and even short term exposure to this indoor air pollution.
H&S Covenant Homes has joined a small number of health professionals, building scientists and builders from around the country in an attempt to create viable and affordable strategies to alleviate and even eliminate indoor air pollution from the homes we build. Under the guidance and scrutiny of the American Lung Association (ALA) we have a very special concept home we call KC Health Home.
The primary purpose of KC Health Home is to showcase a variety of materials and building techniques that can help make any home a healthy home. Through a number of educational seminars, extensive media exposure and public tours, H&S Covenant Homes hopes to increase awareness about the problem of indoor air pollution and what can be done to mitigate that problem.
The American Lung Association’s “Health House” program is focused on new home construction and is the primary inspiration for the first-ever KC Health Home built by H&S Covenant Homes. The key objective of KC Health Home is for the home to serve as an educational resource which allows the general public as well as the real estate community to learn more about improving indoor air quality and building healthy homes.
