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.

Dr. Emer Duffy, Science Lead at Allergy Standards Ltd., is the lead author of the recently published, highly relevant paper entitled ‘Colorimetric Sensing of Volatile Organic Compounds Produced from Heated Cooking Oils’ which describes the use of a simple, cost-effective and easy-to-visualise method for the detection of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

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.

Electronic equipment is fundamental to supporting a healthier indoor environment. From air cleaners to vacuum cleaners and air conditioners to dehumidifiers, these pieces of equipment can operate to clean, remove allergens and contribute to a comfortable indoor air environment. The certification of consumer products is an informative and essential way to communicate a range of functions and compliance characteristics.

The skin is the largest organ in the body and is the one that is most exposed to external factors. As a consumer it can be very difficult to know whether a textile has had a particular finish, and even more so to know what chemicals were used to deliver this finish. In order to provide consumers with a signpost for textiles that may be more suitable for them and the environment, a number of certification programs have been established

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’

Volatile organic compounds or VOCs are molecules containing carbon which are predominantly in the gaseous state at room temperature.This article will present the possible sources of indoor VOCs, how VOCs impact on people with asthma and allergy and discuss the ability of air cleaners to reduce VOCs in the indoor environment.

Air conditioners can play a significant role in good indoor air quality. Greater asthma morbidity – specifically a larger number of hospitalizations, wheezing episodes and night symptoms due to asthma – have been associated with the presence of moisture, mildew and cockroach allergen in homes. Air conditioners provide a dual function of controlling temperature and relative humidity in home environments, as well as potential removal of allergens.

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.