BuildersllC
Rondout
Natural
Explore New Paradigms
How Toxic is our built environment?
​
Most every material used in a typical modern building is the product of energy-intensive processing. The toxicity of these materials impacts everyone associated with them: the workers in the factories and warehouses, the builders on the construction site, and the inhabitants of the poisonous end products. You may not smell, see or taste it but these construction materials emit various gasses and other compounds into our homes, many of which are highly toxic. Modern construction depends on an endless stream of polluting trucks to deliver our building materials usually from hundreds of miles away.
​
​
​
​
​
Post-WWII to 1970s: Rapid Growth, Minimal Regulation
-
Mass Suburban Expansion: After WWII, there was a housing boom (e.g., Levittown developments) to accommodate returning soldiers and the baby boom generation.
-
Speed over quality: The priority was rapid, affordable construction, sometimes at the expense of long-term durability.
-
Toxic materials widely used:
-
Asbestos (insulation, floor tiles, siding)
-
Lead-based paint (used until banned in residential settings in 1978)
-
Formaldehyde (in pressed wood, insulation, and glues)
-
PCBs and VOCs in caulks, sealants, and finishes
-
1980s–1990s: Growing Awareness, Gradual Regulation
-
Tighter energy codes led to more airtight buildings, which unintentionally increased indoor air quality issues by trapping pollutants and moisture.
-
Regulations phased out the worst toxins:
-
Lead paint banned in 1978
-
Asbestos use restricted but not fully banned
-
Formaldehyde emissions from wood products began to be regulated (starting with HUD standards in 1985)
-
New synthetic materials release volatile organic compounds VOCs, air quality is still an ongoing concern
​
​
Importance of Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality refers to the quality of the air in a home, school, office, or other building environment. The potential impact of indoor air quality on human health nationally can be noteworthy for several reasons: Chemical pollutants build up in the indoor air we breathe, Proper ventilation helps, but it’s best to keep harmful chemicals out of our homes in the first place.
​
Indoor environment conditions contribute greatly to human well being. Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, mainly at home or in the workplace where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. People who are often most susceptible to the adverse effects of pollution (e.g., the very young, older adults, people with cardiovascular or respiratory disease) tend to spend even more time indoors. Indoor concentrations of some pollutants have increased in recent decades due to such factors as "energy-efficient high performance" building construction (when it lacks sufficient mechanical ventilation to ensure adequate air exchange) and increased use of synthetic building materials, furnishings, personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaner. The main parameters for evaluation of IAQ include pollutant concentrations, thermal conditions (temperature, airflow, relative humidity), light, and noise.
​
Eliminating toxic exposures in building
Traditionally hardwood, softwood and Lime based plasters were the gold standard for building homes. These materials have increasingly been replaced with engineered laminated woods and synthetic compounds. While convenient, these materials come with a hidden cost: The well-documented effects of many of the toxic compounds released into our living and working spaces can lead to chronic respiratory problems, and many other serious health conditions. Exposure can cause symptoms such as watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, Headaches, nausea, difficulty breathing, and restlessness in the short term and long-term health risks such as increased risk of asthma, reproductive harm and cancer to name a few.
Common building materials such as Plywood, drywall, poly(vinyl chloride) PVC floor covering, parquet, linoleum, rubber carpet, adhesive, lacquer, paint, sealant, and particle board, can shed toxic compounds (i.e., alkanes, aromatic compounds, 2-ethylhexanol, acetophenone, alkylated aromatic compounds, styrene, toluene, glycols, glycolesters, texanol, ketones, esters, siloxane, and formaldehyde)
Materials we choose to avoid
Plywoods-
A softwood plywood and it is used for subfloors, exterior wall sheathing, and roof decking. Non structural applications such as wood flooring, cabinets, and trim-boards are also common. Engineered wood products made of either plies of wood in plywood, particleboard made of woodchips or MDF (medium-density fiberboard) sawdust glued together. Over time these adhesives break down, releasing formaldehyde and other harmful chemicals into your home and overall degradation in the structural components and integrity of a building.
​
​
​
​
​
Drywall-
Also known as wallboard, plasterboard, gypsum board, or by the brand name Sheetrock—has largely replaced plaster in interior walls and ceilings. Until recently, there were no regulations on contaminants in drywall. Even now, limits exist for only one contaminant, sulfur, yet biocides and other chemicals added to drywall raise health concerns. In rooms with moist air paper-faced drywall can support the growth of mold. To counter mold, drywall is often treated with harmful biocides, or antimicrobial chemicals.
​
​
​
​
​
​
Joint Compound-
Drywall joint compound can contain harmful ingredients, including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, both known carcinogens, and crystalline silica, which is a carcinogen when inhaled. Most premixed joint compounds contain harmful biocides like tributyltin, which is a potent endocrine disruptor and is highly toxic to aquatic life.
​
​
​
​
​
Caulk/Sealant
​The toxicity of caulks and sealants varies depending on the type of product.Synthetic rubber caulks contain high levels of VOCs. Butyl rubber caulks contain high levels of VOCs, and often contain other chemicals that can lead to serious respiratory problems, including asthma. Polyurethane caulks can contain carcinogenic ingredients. Silicone caulks may contain harmful fungicides, depending on their formulation.
​
​
​
​
​
Cabinets
​Most cabinet boxes, and some doors, are made of a composite of wood products like medium density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard or pressboard, which typically use glues to bind the pieces of wood together. These glues, generally made of either urea-formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde, can emit large amounts of formaldehyde fumes into your home. Urea-formaldehyde glues are of greatest concern because they continue to release formaldehyde throughout the life of the wood.
Polyurethane Foam Insulation-
This type of foam contains harmful chemicals and can be especially hazardous for workers during installation. Watch out for spray foam containing a chemical known as methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, or MDI, which can cause asthma and lung damage in exposed workers. Spray foam can also contain the toxic flame retardant TCPP. If mistakes are made during installation, sprayed-on insulation foam is difficult to remove.
​
​
​
​
Petroleum based Paint & Sealants
Disrupt hormones, are linked to reproductive harm and are highly toxic to aquatic life. Some paints contain phthalates, plasticizers added to increase the paint’s flexibility. One type of phthalate used in paint, dibutyl phthalate, has developmental effects and causes hormone disruption in animal studies. Paints are often marketed as antimicrobial, claiming to better protect surfaces from germs and mold and the added pesticides can be harmful to your health. Sealants containing dibutyl phthalate and butyl benzyl phthalate. Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can cause reproductive problems.
​
​
​
Treated Wood
In wet areas wood is susceptible to rot and for that reason preservatives and sealants are used to treat the wood against parasites, mold, fungi and bacteria. These are the worst kind of chemicals as they are designed to kill living organisms and that is exactly what they do. Some are packed with pesticides, creosote, copper, chromium and even arsenic. None of these are chemicals you want inside your lungs or leaching through your skin into your bloodstream.
​
​
​
​
A wasteful endeavor
According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) study, an estimated 8,000 lbs of waste is created from the construction of a 2,000 square foot home. The majority of the 8,000 is wood, cardboard, and drywall. Almost all of that waste ends up in landfills. Building using natural materials is a growing, but still relatively small practice in the world of residential construction in the United States. Conventional construction accounts for over 50% of landfill waste. The waste stream to landfill for a 2000 sf naturally built home can almost entirely be recycled or composted and returned to earth directly.
​
​
​
Mold & Damp rot
Sick buildings
Moisture management in buildings is essential for maintaining structural integrity and occupant health. Excess moisture can lead to material degradation and mold growth Moisture is one of the biggest problems for buildings as it can rot the structure and bring about mold. Most structures fail before their time because of moisture. Why do we need better construction practices that help to manage moisture in our buildings? Most structures in North America are built as separate from the environment. Buildings are being designed with a tighter impermeable seal using synthetic materials where mechanical ventilators, dehumidifiers, and filters are necessary to condition the air of moisture and toxins.
Moisture-related problems in buildings, including dampness and rot, are a significant concern in the United States. According to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
-
Approximately 30% to 50% of all buildings in the U.S. are estimated to have conditions that promote mold growth and moisture problems. However potentially higher percentages of buildings should be considered at risk over the life cycle of a given structure and our current practices of construction.
-
A study published in the Journal of Environmental Health found that about 45% of U.S. homes have some type of dampness-related issue (e.g., water leaks, condensation, or visible mold).
-
Damp rot, a more severe consequence of long-term moisture, is less prevalent but still notable and especially those with poor maintenance or in humid climates.
.
​
​
​
It is the inappropriate use of modern materials like vapor barriers, foam insulation, paper faced gypsum board, sealants such as silicone, mastic, acrylic and latex paints that trap moisture within buildings and feed on the organic materials used in the construction. To grow, or to establish itself, mold requires at least four elements: mold spores, organic matter (like wood, paper, and drywall), moisture, and warmth. This has given rise to mold and damp rot conditions in many of our modern buildings.
​
​The misconception of a sealed bubble building utilizing ever intensive energy extraction practices and further degradation and separation from our living environment, we need to re-focus our sight on the sources and qualities of our living systems. In order for a structure to survive in the environment where moisture is the building block of life, the structure must be able to breathe moisture. When a structure breathes moisture, it is able to take the moisture in and let it out. This is not only healthy for the building but it is also very healthy for the tenants residing in the building.
Trapped Moisture Creates Disease. Mold and bacteria thrive on trapped moisture. Many people around the world suffer from various respiratory illnesses that are caused by diseases that come about from trapped moisture. One of the biggest culprits is mold and can cause life threatening health problems.
There are many examples of historic buildings that have lasted through the generations. All these materials have one thing in common. They are breathable. The structures they form allow moisture to diffuse freely through them. They are the lungs of our buildings. If we let them breathe, the house stays dry and warm. If we strangle them, the house dies - moisture is trapped, walls become cold and damp, timber starts to rot, mold and mildew start to creep into every corner.
​
​​
​
​
The "Breathable Building" is moisture open and air tight. We cant escape moisture in buildings. Similar to human skin buildings need to transpire moisture naturally otherwise they suffocate. With the natural seasonal temperature and humidity changes buildings may adapt through the use of hygroscopic materials. With these seasonal changes the human bio rhythms may acclimate and find healthy balance. The biophylic building and occupants may age well and live long healthy lives.
Electro magnetic frequencies
​
EMF is a general term that refers to artificial Electromagnetic Fields created by modern electrical devices, and also those found in nature. Biological organisms are fundamentally electrical in nature and are therefore extremely sensitive to external electrical phenomena. Our body's intricate processes, such as basic cellular functions, are easily disrupted by the energy emitted from modern technology, whether strong or weak, high frequency or low frequency. The negative effects are cumulative and can take years to show up as health problems. Many thousands of independent peer reviewed scientific studies are available showing harm from non-ionizing electromagnetic fields, yet they are ignored by mainstream sources. However, the weight of the science is on the side of recommending avoidance, or at least, caution
​
Dont be fooled!
​
Over the past several decades people have been constantly exposed to electric and magnetic fields from both industrial and domestic uses. The EMFs are produced not only for technological applications (e.g., power lines mobile phones), but they are now widely used also in medicine for diagnostic (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner and microwave imaging) and therapeutic purposes (e.g., radiofrequency and microwave ablation and hyperthermia).
The increased social and public interest in this subject, based on the epidemiological data associating the extra risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), childhood leukemia, and adult brain cancer with the EMFs exposure of the power line radiation, prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) Report (2007) and WHO Environmental Health Criteria (EHC) Report (2007) to issue precautions against the ELF-EMFs. Kaiser Permanente researchers have published several studies linking pregnant women’s exposure to electromagnetic fields to increased miscarriage as well as increased ADHD, obesity and asthma in their children.
Metabolic processes which generate oxidants and antioxidants can be influenced by environmental factors, such as EMFs. Increased EMFs exposure can modify the cellular balance by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Physical processes at atomic level are indeed the basis of reactions between biomolecules and EMFs, as the field can magnetically affect chemical bonds between adjacent atoms and alter the energy levels and spin orientation of electrons. Overproduction of ROS can damage cellular components, mainly lipids in membranes and nucleic acids. Moreover, ROS can harm cells by depleting enzymatic and/or nonenzymatic antioxidants triggering progressive dysfunction and eventually genotoxic events
​
ELF-EMF fields from electronics and appliances fall off rapidly with distance. Experts are less concerned about the brief exposures to ELF-EMF we encounter everyday but far more concerned about longer-term chronic exposures, including at night while we sleep. Here are some ways to reduce your daily exposure:
​
-
Do not rest a laptop or electric on your lap. Keep electronics on a table.
-
Do not sleep near a charging cell phone or a charging laptop or digital device. Always charge devices away from sleeping/living spaces and preferable during the daytime. Charging generates high EMFs near the cord and batteries can catch fire during charging.
-
Do not use a cell phone while it is charging as the ELF-EMF field is high. Likewise, try to use your laptop on battery rather than while charging. Always unplug the laptop once it is charged.
-
Corded alarm clocks and radios can have intense EMFs, so replace your alarm clock with a battery powered alarm clock. This will reduce your exposure at night.
-
Do not sleep with your head or body near a wall that has the electric panel, electric meter or appliance on the other side.
-
Unplug appliances and electronics such as TV’s and microwaves ovens when not in use. This reduces ELF and also reduces energy consumption. An easy way to do this for electronics is to get a powerstrip that you can easily switch off.
-
Remove electronics from the bedroom—especially around your bed and the crib.
-
Avoid sleeping with electric blankets and heating pads; if you use an electric blanket to preheat your bed, unplug it before sleeping. If you only turn it off, the EMF will still be present.
-
Do not stand near a microwave oven when it is on. Better yet, use a toaster oven.
-
EMFs from electrical wiring can be reduced if you flip the switch on the breaker for the electrical circuits near the bedroom at night. However circuits are not designed to be flipped every night. Some people use a “kill switch” so all you have to do is flip one switch at night to turn off breakers all at once.
-
Get a magnetic field meter to take measurements in your home. If your ELF measurements show high levels in your home, it could be faulty wiring which an electrician can fix. Often simple fixes can greatly reduce ELF-EMF exposure.
-
Take measurements in your home if you live near powerlines because levels can be high throughout the house from the EMF emanating from high voltage powerlines.
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
EMI occurs when the electrical wiring contains frequencies other than the normal 60 Hz electrical current (or 50 Hz in Europe and other countries). Simply stated, the 60 Hz electricity is “polluted” by other frequencies, which can include 120 Hz, 180 Hz, and 240 Hz.
EMI is very common in homes, and levels are increasing with the use of digital devices, “smart” technology, and various appliances. When an electronic source of EMI is plugged in, EMI travels along your wires throughout your home and emanates into rooms.
​
The best way to reduce EMI is to remove the sources of EMI. For all the sources below you can choose a safer alternative. Step one is to identify the sources.
​
Sources of EMI and EMFs
​
-
Dimmer switches
-
CFL light bulbs
-
Fluorescent light bulbs
-
Several types of LED bulbs/fixtures
-
Digital utility billing meters
-
Solar panel inverters
-
Electronics chargers
-
Variable-speed motors (HVAC, portable fans and heaters, other appliances that are stationary or portable, treadmills)
-
Electronic power converters
-
Devices with a switched-mode power supply (SMPS)
-
Television sets, especially plasma TVs.
-
Electric heat pumps
​
