Building a healthy home may seem complicated or even overwhelming but by breaking down the various aspects of a build, the task can be simplified. Firstly consider the material the building is made from, then how the home is decorated or finished, which also includes the ventilation, and finally what we bring into the building and how we maintain the building.

The kitchen is an area of high traffic with many different sources of asthma and allergy triggers. Cooking and cleaning introduce particles and allergens into the air; flooring, paints and insulation can release potentially harmful chemicals; insects, attracted to food, can act as triggers; pollen is brought in on clothing from outside. Furniture, sealants, glues and home office equipment can emit harmful chemicals and furthermore, the kitchen is where a pet is most likely to spend its time

We know that people spend up to 90% of their life indoors and 30% of this time may be in the bedroom. Infants and young children spend even longer than this. Integral to the designing of a well-functioning bedroom are the concepts of comfort, wellness and health but the bedroom can be rife with asthma and allergy triggers with the potential to impact on these concepts and turn a bedroom into a negative space.

The asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program, which is jointly run by Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is pleased to be participating in both virtual shows, the IBS 2021 Builders Show® and NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® that are taking place February 9 – 12, 2021

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 entitled ‘Breathe Clean Air Program: Advanced Training for Building Professionals’

Allergy Standards Ltd is delighted to be exhibiting at Greenbuild Conference and Expo 2020- the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to sustainability in the building industry

Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) is pleased to announce their participation in Tarkett’s Learn.Give.Breathe Event taking place virtually on October 7th where Allergy Standards Limited CEO, Dr. John McKeon will serve as a keynote speaker conveying powerful insights about the heightened importance of Indoor Air Quality, triggers of Indoor Air Pollution, and how to create a healthy home environment through building materials, best practices, and beyond. Not only is Tarkett a CERTIFIED flooring partner of the asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program but their company mission is also fully aligned with the Program, as their goal is to create healthier homes through offering flooring materials that allow individuals to make better purchasing decisions to improve their Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).

It is a common statistic when talking about the quality of indoor air, that we spend approximately 90% of our time indoors. The origin of that statistic was a study by the US Environmental Protection Agency back in 19891. The importance of this is the nature of the contained environment of the home; in the move towards greater environmental sustainability, homes have become more energy efficient and more tightly sealed. While this provides a better environmental impact, it also means that the air in the home does not become renewed through passage of fresh air.

This talk explores current and future healthy home trends with a focus on indoor air quality, whole house filtration and the importance of third party certification. IAQ is a key component in the healthy home and builders will benefit by a deeper understanding of how whole house filtration and other asthma and allergy friendly products can help them keep their business healthy.