Homebuyers are increasingly concerned about the safety of the products that are used in their homes. When it comes to insulation, there’s a lot of information out there, but it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. Insulation Institute has just released a new guide, Fiberglass Insulation A Guide to Better Indoor Air Quality, which details the significant benefits of using fiberglass insulation, whether you’re a builder, installer, or homeowner.
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In last week’s blog post, we reported that architects are seeing changes in home design due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey, there is a greater interest in indoor air quality (IAQ) among custom builders and renovators. That finding piqued our interest in whether semi-custom and production builders are also increasing their focus on indoor air quality and what that could mean for building costs. In this week’s blog post, we talk to Matthew Cooper, Senior Vice President, PEG, LLC, about how the broader homebuilding community is responding to the focus on indoor air quality and why increased emphasis on IAQ doesn’t necessarily mean increased costs.
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A plethora of new reports indicate that coronavirus is shaping home design trends in the U.S. and globally. Among them, the American Institute of Architects Home Design Trends Survey shows that more outdoor features and flexible spaces are highly desirable. The survey also shows products that improve indoor air quality, thermal moisture control, and energy-efficient homes are growing in popularity.
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COVID-19 has more Americans staying at home to reduce the rate of disease spread, and that means spending more time indoors. While few people associate indoor air with pollution, a study from Washington State University last year reported that indoor air could be much more polluted than outdoor air. This pollution is due in part to emissions that come furniture, household cleaning products, cooking, and notably, building materials.
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A study commissioned by Second Nature, the nation’s largest home wellness subscription service, revealed that 99 percent of Americans want a healthy home, yet 62 percent say they could do a better job of obtaining one. One of the major ways that homeowners can ensure a healthy home is maintaining good indoor air quality (IAQ). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates[1] that indoor air is up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, an alarming fact that is likely to heighten consumer concerns.
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Transformations taking place in both the home energy efficiency arena and healthcare are coming together in ways that present opportunities for these industries to work collaboratively to improve outcomes for customers. VEIC, a sustainable energy company with a mission to enhance the environmental and societal benefits of clean and efficient energy use for all people, is out with a new Energy-Plus-Health Playbook. The playbook examines a three-tiered approach to targeting unhealthy and substandard existing housing conditions that cause energy burdens and compromise the household health of low- and middle-income customers.
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Joe “Radio Joe” Hughes of the IAQ Training Institute and IAQ Radio has been training builders and contractors for nearly two decades on indoor air quality issues. Through his popular podcast, trainings, and conferences, he shares insights on building science and the complexities of modern construction, and why indoor air quality is becoming more precarious. Insulation Institute recently spoke with Hughes about why the approach to indoor air quality in new construction must change.
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