Healthy Features
- No harmful VOC’s in products using for example formaldehyde like Overlaid Strand Board (OSB); other synthetic materials as in non-organic carpet and other flooring and even in wall coverings, which can contribute to allergies, asthma, emphysema and other health issues.
- Natural floors are encouraged such as stained polished concrete, ceramic or stone tile, natural hardwood or organic carpet made of wool or cotton.
- Construction uses hard foam insulation, which does not break down or require replacement, and slows the heat or cold air transfer from either side of the walls and roof.
- No fiberglass insulation in walls, ceilings or in HVAC plinth and ductwork which breaks down over time transmitting a toxic dust that leads to pulmonary disease.
- Monolithic foundations and slabs prevent concrete cold joints that occur when footings are poured first and slabs afterwards. New concrete does not bond effectively to old thus creating cold joints or cracks where insects have a conduit to invade the interior of the house.
- Solid insulation prevents passage for insects to infest the interior of the house.
- Steel frame construction on solid monolithic concrete foundations provides no food source for insect infestation or propagation of harmful micro-organisms such as black mold to grow in walls.
- No gas or oil fired furnaces or water heaters that can put off CO2 and fine soot that leads to respiratory disease or exacerbate such conditions. Instead we specify HVAC systems that use solar thermal collectors for hot water source heating.
- Fire and flood resistant homes. With steel framing and solid insulation when there is a flood there are no surfaces that can grow harmful micro-organisms particularly inside the walls.