Page 61 - Green Builder July-August 2020 Issue

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FOR A SUSTAINABLE
DESIGN FUTURE FINANCIAL HEALTH these problems were later determined to be caused by allergies. His

Finances are certainly a signi cant, familiar aspect of all building sensitivity to certain allergens caused him to not feel well and act
projects, but not necessarily related to how they can be a signi cant in unpleasant ways. Once this was identi ed, the diculties could
contributor to the health of clients before, during and after the be successfully addressed and cleared up. It involved determining
project. I’ll address nancial health in future articles, and include what elements in the natural and built environments caused the
input from expert nancial advisors and health counselors. reactions and how to eliminate, minimize, avoid or protect him from
having such strong reactions to (ones that other people might not
MENTAL HEALTH experience in the same way). These allergens can be air pollutants
Mental health is not a topic that everyone is comfortable addressing, from outside air or volatile organic compounds (VoCs), chemicals
nor are we in the building industry typically trained to address this in building materials, furnishings or consumer products within a
issue. It can be a challenging topic. building, or moisture/mold-related problems in a building.
Both nancial health and mental health can be dicult to discuss Concern for the selection of products and materials from these
during normal building projects, so considering them ahead of time allergens can be extremely critical for many people. Additional
can be a good idea. The goals are still the same: How to have a information is continuously developing that contributes to what
successful home or building project that contributes to the well-being we know about VOCs as well as the new information about products
of individuals who will be using the building. and materials used in building projects that is frequently updated.
In the same ways that we would consider the issues around Not accidentally introducing products and materials into such a
water quality and air quality, and the physical e­ects they have on building has been and is becoming an increasingly important factor
building occupants, we can understand that the occupants’ mental in the design and selection of products and materials going into a
health may also be a­ected. In fact, mental health can be directly home or building. This will become even more important as we
a­ected by water quality and air pollution. Studies show that water begin to further understand the e­ects on our mental well-being.
or air containing certain allergens or chemicals can a­ect a person’s In a home project, an architect or contractor asking and knowing
physical and mental health. Symptoms can include fatigue, dizziness, if any family members have allergies or sensitivities to chemicals
visual disorders and memory loss. is a good thing to determine in early discussions with clients. They
Also, in many cases something that can seem like a mental problem may appreciate being reminded to consider this issue in their project.
can be an indication of an environmental issue, and even a future These discussions can continue on to develop ways to address them
problem of organ or nervous system damage. So, there is a ne in the design of the mechanical systems and ltering, and the careful
line between mental and physical health issues, and the bene t of selection of products and materials for the project, with a heightened
considering both in green building is signi cant. awareness of the related bene ts and the e­ects of those decisions. It
My own professional experiences have contributed to my can raise the awareness of the project’s value to clients to where they
knowledge in nancial health and mental health. But just as I consult consider including them in the beginning of their project design.
with and work with structural engineers, mechanical engineers, This also applies to commercial projects for real estate developers,
electrical engineers, etc., who are specialists in their areas, I will including tenant improvement (TI) work and for corporate facilities,
as everyone’s rising awareness of health requirements is reŽected in
all buildings. Also, if a project involves remodeling a home or if it is
a commercial adaptive-reuse project, being able to recognize existing
indications of potential building health problems is an asset before,
during and after construction.
An example of this that I experienced was when good friend of
mine experienced dizziness and falling. He had visited his doctor
who, after examining him, could not determine any reason or cause
for his problems. When he mentioned this to me, I visited his house
with him.
While walking around the house, I saw indication of water damage
in the form of staining of the ceiling of the dining room. He explained
it was from a leaky roof that had not been repaired. I mentioned to
CREDIT: TREX him that he should have an expert inspect the ceiling for what might
be black mold and have the damage removed carefully if that was
the case. He also should have his roof repaired so no further damage
Great outdoors. When it comes to mental health, what’s outside a building would be done. I recommended a quali ed contractor who could do
is as important as any state-of-the-art design elements indoors.
both. I also asked that he check with his doctor to see if he could be
work with nancial health and mental health specialists to address experiencing Meniere’s disease (a condition that can be caused by
these two topics as related to health in green building projects. mold). Fixing the roof and alerting the doctor to the possible cause of
I once designed an addition to a house for clients who had a the problem resulted in him getting proper treatment, and recovering
child with considerable health problems. While not obvious at rst, fully and living in a house without a leaky roof.

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