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How to Create a Healthier Building Environment

Efforts to build environmentally friendly structures remain the practice of only a small fraction of designers and constructors. Although the industry might seem to have improved since the 1970s, there is still a long way ahead in the goal of creating buildings that are healthy for the environment and their occupants.
By Tryggvi Thorsteinsson and Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir
December 18, 2018
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Sustainable buildings and construction have a lot of benefits to the environment, as well as humans. Sustainable buildings minimize waste with less environmental impact and the use of renewable materials and sources.

What is sustainable construction?

Sustainable construction isn’t just about the creation of a building that has a low environmental impact; it is a new approach in the building sector that improves the way people live and build.

Sustainable construction means using resources and materials in an efficient manner, considering the environmental impacts not only by the project itself but by understanding and thought about what materials are being used, how they were created and the impact that process had on the environment.

The Role of Construction

The building industry needs to recognize the impact of construction. It is estimated that 40 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. per year is from the construction industry.

Building energy efficient structures is important for the future of our planet. Sixteen percent of greenhouse gases generated in the United States are from residential homes. It is the responsibility of the construction industry to build more energy efficient homes to reduce this figure. It is also vital to construct these homes using methods that reduce the ecological footprint.

Eliminating wood in construction is an import goal to reduce buildings’ impact, as 60 percent of all trees cut worldwide are used for building construction and 40 percent of that same construction wood is waste that ends up in the landfill.

Improved quality of life with sustainability

The use of sustainable materials can help with the purification of the air, creating a healthier living environment. Exposure to formaldehyde, an adhesive used to bond pressed-wood products (including plywood, particle board and paneling), can lead to eye, throat, nose and skin irritation and can increase the risk of asthma. Formaldehyde has also been linked to cancer.

For example, environmentally friendly workspaces have shown to help employees perform better while reducing absenteeism.

Alternative materials minimizes waste

Prefabricated materials contribute to sustainability, as constructing as much of a structure in a controlled environment as possible improves the quality of buildings and results in less trash and waste on site.

A conscious effort in using only materials in their most organic form will improve the air quality in a building. Refraining from using tile, carpet and other materials using substantial energy during their process are very beneficial.

Consider including recycled material where possible that can also be recycled at the end of its life cycle. Quality materials that last longer is also a crucial component. The lifetime span of quality products are significantly higher than cheap material that might need to be replaced in a few years, which saves the energy used for processing the material and produces less waste.

Currently, environmental health effects in the world are a hot topic. It is clear that efforts to build environmentally friendly structures remain the practice of only a small fraction of designers and constructors. Although the industry might seem to have improved since the 1970s, there is still a long way ahead in the goal of creating buildings that are healthy for the environment and their occupants.

by Tryggvi Thorsteinsson and Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir
Tryggvi Thorsteinsson and Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir are both CEO/Inventors of mnmMOD Sustainable Building Solutions. With years of experience in designing buildings, they effectively demonstrate a dedication to working in sustainability and bringing innovative ideas forward in clear connection to sustainability. They understand how to move change forward and have created mnmMOD building solutions to help shape their company to be beneficial to the community and the environment.

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