Creating Allergy-Safe Indoor Spaces

BY SARA GRAVES

It’s more than an attractive and functional interior that is inspiring designers these days. The focus on creating healthy indoor spaces has taken center stage as designers and companies alike recognize that the materials used in these spaces and the subsequent effect on the indoor air quality (IAQ) that these materials have is as important as the look itself. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency,

IAQ can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air quality and at times as much as 100 times higher, which can adversely affect the health of those who use these indoor spaces. Statistics have also shown that more than 25 million

Americans are affected by asthma and over 50 million by allergies every year, and the number of cases is expected to rise. To better understand how to create a healthy indoor space, we spoke with Dr. John McKeon, CEO and founder of Allergy

Standards Ltd. (ASL), a company that helps create the healthiest possible indoor environment through science certification and education.

“The combination of the increasing incidence of asthma and allergies and the exposure to new airborne diseases has raised our awareness of (IAQ) to a new level,” said Dr. McKeon.

“Consumers are now ‘indoor air aware’ and are increasingly informed and empowered to take control of their environment, so it’s more important than ever for those who sell, distribute, fabricate, or design interior spaces to use products that contribute to a healthier indoor environment.” Dr. McKeon first became aware of the impact that indoor spaces have on children when he was working as an emergency room physician in a Dublin, Ireland, hospital. Children were

repeatedly brought into the hospital after suffering allergic reactions to the chemicals found in everyday life products, such as textiles.

In response, ASL was founded, and a set of product standards, known as the asthma & allergy friendly Certification Standards, was developed to test products against a strict set of criteria for their impact on an indoor space. Although the certification is not industry specific, ASL has developed standards for products and building materials for every room in the house, offering a choice in as many product categories as possible.

Interestingly, according to the ASL website, there is no federal standard that constitutes truly hypoallergenic, but third-party certification does result in “safer, more reliable products.”

“Our focus is on controlling the sources and triggers of asthma and allergies to improve IAQ and help consumers to make informed choices,” he said.

In considering the products to create a healthy indoor space, it’s important to understand the chemicals that can trigger allergic responses in vulnerable people.

Some of the most hazardous chemicals emitted into interior spaces are volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are the chemicals emitted by gases from liquid and solid materials, including paints, composite wood products, varnishes, and adhesives.

“Some VOCs can cause airway irritation. Allergens can be particularly harmful to vulnerable people with sensitive airways, such

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as the very young or old, or those with chronic respiratory diseases like asthma or allergies,” Dr. McKeon said.

Off-gassing is the term to describe the process of how VOCs emit compounds into the air slowly over time, which can lead to short-term or long-term health consequences, such as Sick Building Syndrome or Building Related Illness.

Building materials, paints, and flooring are common sources of off-gassed compounds that lead to poor IAQ.

For instance, formaldehyde, a colorless gas and VOC, is often added to paint to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth. It is also used in building materials and paper products, such as fiberboard, particleboard, and plywood. Formaldehyde-based VOCs negatively affect children more than adults.

In addition, paints off-gas VOCs into an indoor space for days after application. Some of the VOCs emitted by paints include acetaldehyde, a paint binder; mercury, used to prolong the shelf life of paint; and PGE (propylene glycol and glycol ethers) used in water-based paints.

“A fresh coat of paint will continue to emit VOCs into the air even after it appears completely dry,” he explained. “This is why we test paint for VOC emissions at 24, 48, and 336 hours after the paint is applied. We also conduct a detailed assessment of all of the chemical constituents in paint to ensure that there are no allergenic or sensitizing ingredients present or that their concentration is suitably low.”

As more designers and companies are becoming aware of the importance of creating good IAQ, Dr. McKeon said, “it is translating into new buying behaviors with respect to building materials and consumer products. People are becoming more educated about the health impacts of the indoor environment, and we are seeing this translate into increased demand for materials (from manufacturers and end-users) that contribute to healthier indoor environments.”

One such company, Canada-based EcoSynthetix, has responded to this increased demand by producing a wood composite panel, DuraBind, that has no added formaldehyde binder.

Their biochemicals, made from sustainably sourced, renewable feedstocks, provide an eco-friendly alternative to formaldehyde binders commonly found in wood composites and insulation and SB latex binders used in paper applications.

Columbia Forest Products, Greensboro, North Carolina, has taken the additional step to inform consumers of what is in its building materials, including those found in its PureBond hardwood plywood.

The program, called Declare, features labels on its products that answer three questions: 1. Where does it come from? 2. What is it made of? 3. Where does it go at the end of its life? In addition, each label contains information on Red List and watch list chemicals (materials that contain chemicals that are potentially harmful to people and commonly used in the building industry), TVOCs (Total VOCs), performance (on certain product lines), along with a chain of custody for all product lines provided.

Similarly, Materially Better features comprehensive lists of product ingredients, including the VOC quantities in each product and its Red List status.

Excel Cabinets Inc. has responded to the demand by introducing a green alternative for cabinetry. Using only water-based chemicals to stain its cabinetry, it eliminates urea-added formaldehyde that is frequently found in cabinet applications. In addition, all MDF insert panels on its doors as well as all back panels are made with 100% recycled content and are LEED MR 4.1 and 4.2 quality as well as CARB complaint.

Looking ahead, as more companies recognize the consumers’ need for eco-friendly indoor spaces, we will see not only aesthetically pleasing, functionally designed spaces but healthy ones as well. s p