Achieving Good Indoor Air Quality

Our specifications called for low VOC paint, coatings and sealants, as well as protecting our ductwork during the messy period of installation from dust and heavier particulate matter. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are carbon compounds that become a gas at normal room temperatures and they affect indoor air quality. In 2001, the U.S. EPA (Healthy Buildings, Healthy People: A Vision for the 21st Century) reported that indoor pollutants may be 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor levels. The World Health Organization conducted studies in Europe a few years later that found similar concerns. Illnesses from poor indoor air quality range from headaches and nausea, to asthma, allergic reactions, skin irritations and in extreme cases, illnesses caused by long term exposure to contaminants (such as cancers and neurological disorders).

VOCs aren't the only source of contamination: radon, mold, dirt, dust, tobacco smoke, candles, as well as house-hold cleaning agents, paint thinners, and pesticides can all degrade indoor air. Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring substance that is also of concern. Composite materials such as cabinets or counters can contain urea-formaldehyde resins. According to the LEED for Homes Reference Guide, “urea formaldehyde is a combination of urea and formaldehyde used in some glues and adhesives, particularly in composite wood product. At room temperature, urea formaldehyde emits formaldehyde, a toxic and possibly carcinogenic gas.” LEED Homes encourages homebuilders to use products with no added urea-formaldehyde. We didn't achieve this on our cabinets for kitchen and baths because of our budget, although ours (and many on the market) have minimum formaldehyde.

Today, ALL products on the market contain labeling that should prevent one from creating an unsafe indoor environment, including labels that dictate how to use and store certain noxious substances correctly (which is why precautionary labeling shouldn't be an optional read). As a practical first step, ask yourself if you actually need to purchase a product that contains hazardous substances. Beyond this, there are many products you can choose that go even further by formulating their products with ingredients that are better for our health and the environment.

LEED Homes actually stipulates allowable limits of VOCs for products, covering all manner of paints, coatings and sealants. For instance, for non-flat paint the VOC limit is 150 g/l. Clear wood finishes for the floor must meet a 350 g/L limit for varnish, and 550 g/L for lacquer, and so on. They also encourage people to seek out Green Label Plus or Floor Score Certified rug and flooring products.

Before the builder brought anything onto our site, his supplier sent me cut sheets of the various products that outline the attributes and component parts (or ingredients) of the item. I reviewed these for everything from the gypsum board to insulation. One helpful label to look for is whether or not the item is GREENGUARD certified.

“The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) was founded in 2001 with the mission of improving human health and quality of life by enhancing indoor air quality and reducing people’s exposure to chemicals and other pollutants. In keeping with that mission, GEI certifies products and materials for low chemical emissions and provides a free resource for choosing healthier products and materials for indoor environments.”

Here are just a few examples of products that meet Greenguard/and or the VOC limit from our project:

• ·      ProForm All Purpose Joint Compound was used on the sheetrock, with just 2 g/L VOC as well as GREENGUARD certification.
• ·      Benjamin Moore's Natura No VOC paint has just been ordered to complete the walls. It is a new product for the company, and as such, hasn't been tested by GREENGUARD. It costs about $10 a gallon more than regular paint, but we don't need to prime, as just two coats are promised to yield a highly durable and washable finish. I should say that in order to promote this product to the builder, and the subcontractor they use for their painting, Benjamin Moore (through Purcell's Paints in East Syracuse) gave us 4 gallons for free. However, the change order to use this paint over the builder's standard product is still going to be $650!!!
• ·      Gold Bond XP Gypsum Board is Greenguard approved, as is the ToughRock from Georgia Pacific, a non-paper faced board that is used in all the bathroom "wet" locations because it won't hold moisture which can lead to mold.
• ·      Sport Kote is a water-based urethane wood finish that offers both a satin finish (VOC less than 300 g/l) and gloss finish (less than 260 g/l). As a single component formula, it can be used the next day, unlike some floor finishing products that have a pretty short shelf life. Additionally, it is very durable (as one would expect for a product used on gym floors), so it will be very resistant to wear and tear. The goal is, not to have to do this again for a very long time.

By the time the house is done, we'll be using quite a few GREENGUARD certified products that will garner us LEED points under the Materials and Resources category (Credit 2, for Environmentally Preferable Products).

Finally, to improve our indoor air quality further, we will be installing an AtmosAir filtration system (D100) within our furnace to filter all the conditioned air in the house. The maintenance cost on this filtration system is about $100 more each year vs. traditional filters (if using better than MERV 8 “standard” filters than the difference is less obviously) but it will create an indoor air quality that is superior and that will address some of our visitor's allergies to our dog. LEED recognizes this enhanced filtration with an additional point (MERV 8 is required, MERV 10 gets you an additional 1 point). Prior to turning on our fancy filter, we'll be using our HVAC with normal filtration at a minimum, and I will continue to vacuum out the ducts during my regular visit to the site to get the big stuff out that gets in there no matter how you cover the openings. Particularly now, as they are installing the wood flooring!