Breathe Clean Air
The air we breathe is invisible. And like most things intangible, we tend to take it for granted. Generally, we take it for granted that we breathe clean air – that it will enter our mouths, pass through our trachea, flow into our lungs and keep us alive and healthy. But somewhere at the back of our minds we have been aware that this assumption is unsound, ungrounded and maybe even naïve.
The fact that air pollution has been on our radar for decades is evidenced by the Pollution Laws that were passed as early as 1963. But due to that intangible element of the invisibility of air, we as humans have the tendency to set this issue aside, to put it at the end of our to-do list. Occasionally, when we experience spikes in poor air quality or it appears as a news headline, the subject gets raised from our periphery to center stage, though typically this starring role tends to be short-lived. We close our doors, shut the windows, retreat to the ‘safety’ of our homes.
Indoor Air Quality
But what about the safety of the air in our homes? This is now where we spend 90% of our time. The air there is invisible too. But it is only recently, due to the convergence of significant global events such as the invasion of pollen tsunamis, raging out-of-control wildfires and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic that we have been prompted to examine the quality of our indoor air. Suddenly air has become almost visible.
This realisation is forcing a paradigm shift in the construction industry. This rising awareness makes it clear that it is now time to focus on the impact building materials and products have on our surroundings and the consequent effect this indoor environment has on our health. It has prompted us to look at our homes, our workplaces and our hospitals with a with an entirely new frame of reference. No longer are we content to accept the unacceptable when it comes to our health. After all, we now know that indoor air can be 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.
Upcoming Event
Dr. John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards, is recognised for delivering informative, cutting edge talks, lectures and workshops on developing international standards, Indoor Air Quality, third body certification and innovation so is particularly honoured to be presenting a talk hosted by Tarkett who have recently cemented their reputation as leaders in the healthcare facilities industry by their involvement in the Clean Hospitals network and in The Sustainability and Health Initiative for Netpositive Enterprise (SHINE) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Tarkett are internationally renowned for developing sustainable flooring solutions that respect the environment and contribute to health and well-being and their participation in asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program reflects this.
The talk is entitled “The Breathe Clean Air Program: Advanced Training for Building Professionals” and will be delivered to healthcare facilities managers, who play a key role in the construction industry.It is one of an expanding series of talks, presented by Dr. McKeon which builds on Allergy Standards participation in the US Greenbuild Conference and Expo, where they shared the stage with Tracy Washington Enger of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and which focus on the growing issue of poor Indoor Air Quality and the impact it has on human health. More specifically, it is now time to focus on the impact building materials and products have on the consumer’s surroundings and consequently the effect this environment has on health.
“I am delighted to be presenting this talk to such a vital group of the construction industry. Our expertise at Allergy Standards in the Indoor Air Quality field allows us to fill a knowledge gap made increasingly apparent by the global pandemic. It is imperative that construction and design professionals embrace the paradigm shift from an engineering focus to a people centred healthy design approach to meet expanding consumer needs” , says Dr. John McKeon.
This platform gives Allergy Standards the opportunity to highlight their upcoming launch of an advanced online Education Program, ‘The Breathe Clean Air Program’, designed and delivered by the ASL science & medical team and tailored specifically for construction professionals, retailers and CERTIFIED manufacturers. The e-learning education program will enable the delivery of construction and product solutions that are specifically matched to the needs of the air aware customer.
The demand for better understanding of the human impact of poor Indoor Air Quality has highlighted a knowledge gap existing in the professional building community and in the retail sector that Allergy Standards is uniquely positioned to fill as an industry leader in this field. At Allergy Standards, design thinking has allowed the merging of scientific processes with empathic listening. And so, by being human-centric in approach to the increasing impact of poor indoor air, and considering the emotions and the needs of the consumer as well as the impact of building materials and products over time, in use and in the constantly fluxing nature of an inhabited building.
This ASL Education Program is a logical and natural venture by the company, allowing it interface more with the professional building community, opening the way for the necessary shift in the industry from an engineering focus to a people-centred, healthy, design approach.
The upcoming talk hosted by Tarkett will explore how to empathize about air quality concerns, the rising awareness of the impact of poor Indoor Air Quality and issues related to asthma and allergies. The expansive curriculum includes contributions from the EEBA and Construction Instruction. Other areas to be covered are:
- The rising demand for clean indoor air with the ‘indoor generation’
- Understand the science on asthma and allergies, indoor triggers, and the corresponding impact on human health
- Indoor air & pathogens such as Coronavirus
- Medical impact of poor indoor air quality
- How the construction industry is responding
- Stakeholder Values + Environmental Sustainability + Wellness Movement
- How material science alone is not sufficient in creating better building inhabitant outcomes
- Linking conversations regarding clean air with medical impacts and how to create better indoor air
Date: Thursday December 3rd, 2020
Time: 11am-12pm EST
To register for the talk click here
Enrolment in the Education Program will be available to all those in the professional building and design industries, retailers and those interested in gaining insight into the creation of healthier homes for all. Contact ASL here for more information.
About Allergy Standards Limited (ASL)
Allergy Standards Ltd uses Design Thinking Principles to operate the world’s most recognised certification program for the allergy aware consumer. As an international certification and health data analytics company, ASL develops international standards for innovation and testing of a wide range of consumer products and services. ASL works with researchers, manufacturers and retailers throughout the supply chain, using design thinking and innovation to create a healthier indoor environment.
Key Words
Indoor air quality, building professionals, healthcare facility management, healthy homes, certification, asthma, allergies, standards, building materials, third party certification, health and well being, design thinking, COVID.
References and further reading
https://residential.tarkett.com/en_US/node/asthma-allergy-friendly-1945
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