Author warns indoor air quality could be dangerous to health

Author warns indoor air quality could be dangerous to health

30 November 2016

A LEADING authority on green and sustainable building has published his sixth book which warns of dangerous and cancer-causing materials used in buildings.

Crossgar’s Professor Tom Woolley is an internationally recognised expert in his field and was Professor of Architecture at Queen’s University from 1991 to 2007. He has also taught at many other institutions around the world, including South Africa, Canada and Malaysia.

He has written five previous books on green and natural building and is a pioneer of hemp-lime construction and works as a consultant to public bodies and universities. His latest publication entitled Building Materials, Health and Outdoor Quality: No Breathing Space, is published by Routledge.

According to the Royal College of Physicians, 99,000 deaths each year in Europe are caused by poor indoor air quality, while the World Health Organisation says bad indoor air quality is up to 10 times more dangerous than external air pollution.

“As a result of making buildings more airtight to meet energy efficiency regulations, hazardous chemicals are trapped in houses for longer,” said Professor Woolley.

“Hazardous emissions from toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, styrenes and iso-cyanates in insulations, glues and sealants, flame retardants and pvc, aggravate asthma, respiratory illnesses and can cause cancer and can affect reproduction.”

Professor Woolley said damp and mould is endemic in both old and brand new buildings and is on the increase due to modern forms of construction.

“Some of the worst air quality is found not just in houses, but schools and health care buildings. Leading cancer and hospice charities do not have policies to exclude cancer causing materials from their buildings,” he continued.

The author said the impact of building materials and construction methods on the health and well-being of occupants is often underestimated or disregarded, with most modern buildings containing  significant levels of toxic, hazardous and cancer causing materials.

The new book has been described as an essential guide to understanding and avoiding hazardous materials and poor air quality in buildings. It covers a range of issues beginning with an explanation of how professionals, medical and public bodies and the construction industry have a “head in the sand” approach to the problem of hazardous emissions and how this affects the health of building occupants and users. 

In particular, Professor Woolley accuses leading cancer charities of ignoring the cancer risks in their own buildings.

He argues the problems can be avoided by using non-hazardous, breathable, natural materials and Nature-plus certified products. Professor Woolley said while countries like Germany, Austria and Switzerland encourage the use of such materials and also set stringent standards for air quality, this is not the case in the UK or Ireland.

The topics covered in the new book include volatile organic compound emissions and how they are measured, cancer causing chemicals in building materials, ventilation and air tightness, damp and mould, asthma and respiratory problems, radiation and radon, toxic and hazardous building materials used in construction and ecological alternatives and approaches and remedies for ‘sick’ buildings.

In addition, Professor Woolley’s book guides the reader through the confusing world of regulations, international guidelines and certifications and provides a critical analysis of different theories of healthy buildings and philosophies.

Written in a clear and accessible style, the book provides indispensable advice and information to anyone wishing to better understand healthy buildings and materials. 

It is essential reading for architects, surveyors, public health professionals, facilities managers and environmentalists.