Blog/Opinion: Are Your Building Materials Healthful?

Houses used to be built of native materials. If there were a lot of rocks in the area, the houses were constructed of stone. If trees happened to be plentiful, the houses were made of wood. Eskimos built igloos with what was available to them. Today, building materials are very similar throughout the civilized world. Plywood, fiberglass insulation, and chemically treated lumber are a routine sight at construction projects everywhere—even though these common building materials can lead to indoor air pollution and ill health.

 

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Construction practices have changed considerably over the last one-hundred years, but the most significant changes have occurred since World War II. With the invention of modern adhesives, plywood and particle board are now widely used in houses. They are notorious for releasing formaldehyde gas. Synthetic plastics of various types are also now used extensively in the construction industry. Simulated-wood-grain plastic doors, synthetic paints, caulking, and foam insulation all contribute to an indoor environment that has never existed before in the history of the human race.

 

Fortunately, newer, more benign materials are now available. These include soy-based foam insulation, CARB-2 compliant kitchen cabinets, and much more.

 

 

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(Note: The views expressed in this blog post are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of The Healthy House Institute, LLC.)

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