FW: Cleaning up indoor air / Syracuse Studies

[Guest guest]

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3851857

Cleaning Up Indoor Air

>From Sick Walls to Synthetic Carpets, Home May Not Be a Haven

Aug. 16, 2004 -- These days, the air inside many homes is more polluted than

the air outside. That's because everything from pets to gas appliances to

paint and cleaning products contributes to indoor air pollution. Most homes

contain an alarming number of chemicals, and modern homes are built so

tightly that

they tend to trap the bad air inside. In a two-part series, NPR's Jon

Hamilton

looks at what's in household air, and what researchers and builders are

doing

to reduce indoor air pollution.

Part 1: Diagnosing Sick Walls

The walls of a home are supposed to protect those living inside. But when it

comes to air, walls -- which can emit toxic chemicals -- are often part of

the

problem. Inside Jianshun Zhang's lab at Syracuse University are life-size

walls that replicate those found in many modern walls. They're made up of

layers

of interior paint, primer, gypsum wall board, a vapor barrier, insulation

materials and vinyl siding. Most of these layers release irritating

chemicals into

the air, from formaldehyde, which can irritate the eyes and lungs, to the

vinyl chloride produced by siding, which can damage the liver.

Zhang's team is trying to figure out what chemicals each layer is releasing

and how it affects the quality of indoor air. NPR's Jon Hamilton spends a

day

with Zhang at his lab and reports on what's known about indoor air

pollution,

and how scientists are helping architects design healthier houses.

Part 2: Building Healthier Houses

Stack runs Northeast Natural Homes, a company in upstate New York that

specializes in houses built to have a minimal impact on the environment and

very clean indoor air. Stack is putting the finishing touches on a home

that's a

showcase for products and building techniques that improve air quality. The

floor coverings and kitchen counters are natural products. There's no

wall-to-wall carpeting to release chemicals and trap dander. The foam

insulation is

made from soybeans instead of urethane. The furnace and hot water heater

have

sealed burners so emissions can't get inside. And air filters are installed

throughout the house -- one of the easiest steps consumers can take to clean

up a

home's air.

Vasselli of the New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center says

houses

like this one represent the future. " We will look back 10 years from now on

this and say, my goodness, when we used to talk about the phrase air

conditioning, that meant temperature and humidity. How foolish. Because

there are things

we are breathing that are potentially going to kill you, and we don't even

understand them today. " Hamilton talks with Stack and Vasselli about what

consumers can do to clean it up.

[Guest guest]

http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3851857

Cleaning Up Indoor Air

>From Sick Walls to Synthetic Carpets, Home May Not Be a Haven

Aug. 16, 2004 -- These days, the air inside many homes is more polluted than

the air outside. That's because everything from pets to gas appliances to

paint and cleaning products contributes to indoor air pollution. Most homes

contain an alarming number of chemicals, and modern homes are built so

tightly that

they tend to trap the bad air inside. In a two-part series, NPR's Jon

Hamilton

looks at what's in household air, and what researchers and builders are

doing

to reduce indoor air pollution.

Part 1: Diagnosing Sick Walls

The walls of a home are supposed to protect those living inside. But when it

comes to air, walls -- which can emit toxic chemicals -- are often part of

the

problem. Inside Jianshun Zhang's lab at Syracuse University are life-size

walls that replicate those found in many modern walls. They're made up of

layers

of interior paint, primer, gypsum wall board, a vapor barrier, insulation

materials and vinyl siding. Most of these layers release irritating

chemicals into

the air, from formaldehyde, which can irritate the eyes and lungs, to the

vinyl chloride produced by siding, which can damage the liver.

Zhang's team is trying to figure out what chemicals each layer is releasing

and how it affects the quality of indoor air. NPR's Jon Hamilton spends a

day

with Zhang at his lab and reports on what's known about indoor air

pollution,

and how scientists are helping architects design healthier houses.

Part 2: Building Healthier Houses

Stack runs Northeast Natural Homes, a company in upstate New York that

specializes in houses built to have a minimal impact on the environment and

very clean indoor air. Stack is putting the finishing touches on a home

that's a

showcase for products and building techniques that improve air quality. The

floor coverings and kitchen counters are natural products. There's no

wall-to-wall carpeting to release chemicals and trap dander. The foam

insulation is

made from soybeans instead of urethane. The furnace and hot water heater

have

sealed burners so emissions can't get inside. And air filters are installed

throughout the house -- one of the easiest steps consumers can take to clean

up a

home's air.

Vasselli of the New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center says

houses

like this one represent the future. " We will look back 10 years from now on

this and say, my goodness, when we used to talk about the phrase air

conditioning, that meant temperature and humidity. How foolish. Because

there are things

we are breathing that are potentially going to kill you, and we don't even

understand them today. " Hamilton talks with Stack and Vasselli about what

consumers can do to clean it up.