Health impact of sustainable housing
While the energy savings and the reduction of CO2 achieved thanks to a passive housing unit can be easily calculated, the impact on health of a sustainable housing unit or, inversely, the internal pollution in housing coming from the products used in the construction are less well known :
- headaches,
- respiratory problems,
- skin problems/allergies,
- nervous disorders,
- blood disorders,
- allergies of all kinds.
- ...
Additionally, as has been mentioned above, passive housing has a positive influence on the purity of the ambient air, due to :
- the reduction in the amount of dust,
- the filtering of the internal and external pollution,
- the control of humidity,
Sustainable or ecological materials will limit or eliminate the content of such polluting materials. For example, there are VOCs (volatile organic compounds), including formaldehyde (present in glues, paints, varnishes, coatings, foam, resins, etc.); PCP (used in products for treating timber). Some materials, said to be "natural", may also be harmful. Some mineral fibres, used principally for insulation, are acceptable provided every precaution is taken during their application and they are no longer in contact with the air inside the house once in position.
Green Immo - 112 rue Konkel - 1200 Bruxelles Belgique - info@greenimmo.be
