Health and buildings

Health and buildings, what this means to your home and office environment? As you are reading this from the comfort of your lounge or whilst sitting in your office chair. Look around at the room; the furniture, walls, flooring, products and accessories. What are they made from? Are they natural or man-made materials? Are you suffering from any illnesses? What affect do they have on your health?

Your health

We spend around 90% of our time inside buildings breathing, living and working. Most modern day materials used in interior design and architecture contain toxic additives. These materials are harmful to human and animal health as they slowly release toxic vapours, gases and pollutants into the air at room temperature (offgassing). This creates indoor air pollution and low air quality levels.

You cannot see, smell or taste these toxic gases.

Interior air also becomes polluted through tobacco smoke, the use of space heaters, electrical equipment, appliances and chemical cleaning supplies. Interior air pollution is more damaging to your health than exterior air pollution as it is condensed and contained within small areas. Over time you may develop symptoms and illnesses such as sick building syndrome, asthma or allergies from indoor air pollution.

Health articles

The following group of articles look at your health and buildings - from illnesses associated with building related pollutants, to typical sources of allergens and sources of indoor toxins within your home. These articles will help you on your way to understanding how your health relates to building materials, furniture and furnishings.

As with any symptoms please consult with a medical professional if you experience any adverse health effects similar to those described in these articles.

My aim is to provide you with information from ongoing research of how your health and buildings are related.