Yesterday we celebrated the longest day of the year - Summer solstice. Now that summer is in full swing, indoor air quality for occupants in and around structures may not be on the top ten list of green building trends as this isn't readily noticeable and tangible as we all try to chill out. But indoor air quality (IAQ) can be affected by mold, bacteria, carbon monoxide, radon and volatile organic compounds (VOC's), and source control is the primary method for improving indoor air quality in most buildings.

With this in mind, welcome to the June edition of the Green Building Journal. Contributing author Stan Gatland offers some insights into IAQ in his article "Achieve High IAQ with Moisture Management Strategies and Innovative, New Building Products." Mr. Gatland's article examines how the average American spends more than 90 percent of their time indoors, yet experiences more pollution and increased asthma rates than those spending more time outdoors.

In the article "Four Facts You Didn't Know About Pests and Indoor Air Quality," Caitlin Seifert looks at how mold, dust and pollen are not the only biological contaminants that negatively affect indoor air quality.

While this is a snapshot of what you will find in this month's journal, dive in and enjoy the articles, blogs, videos, and news. Explore the Green Building Pro social media community, engage with other members, and contribute your expertise to collaborate and communicate with other green building professionals.

We welcome you to join us in our community and attend our webcast series, either as an attendee, sponsor, speaker or all of the above. Feel free to contact me with your input on our community and Journal editions. I look forward to joining you online in the Green Building Pro community.

Jenica Egan
Editor in Chief
Green Building Journal
Jenica.Egan@SparkInteractive.com
Follow us on Twitter @buildgreenpro

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has increasingly become an integral component of sustainable building and design as more is learned about indoor pollutants and the effect they have on building occupants, many of whom spend a significant amount of their time indoors.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the average American spends more than 90 percent of their time indoors, and recent EPA studies have shown that air pollution levels can be up to 100 times higher indoors than those outdoors1. In addition, poor IAQ has been known to either cause or aggravate 50 percent of all respiratory illnesses, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Fortunately, poor IAQ and the health problems that come with it are avoidable.

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Mold, dust and pollen are not the only biological contaminants that negatively effect indoor air quality. Regardless of a building's size – from homes to high-rises – pests such as cockroaches, rodents and dust mites have a large impact on the air building occupants breathe and pose a serious public health threat.
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If there's one thing each and every one of us takes for granted, it's the air we breathe. And, quality notwithstanding, it's generally in plentiful supply.

It would seem rather obvious to note that clean air is critical. That's especially true indoors, where air filtration and ventilation systems may not always be working at optimum levels. Similarly, poor indoor air quality can have a considerable impact on our overall health.

Americans, on average, spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Think about it: you spend all day at the office and then come home. Who among us spends as much time as we would like outside in the fresh air?

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We Canadians are proud of our forests, and of the fact that over 40% of the worlds certified forests are concentrated here. Actually, it's not the forests themselves that are certified, but the practices used when they are harvested and regenerated. Those practices are certified as meeting today's highest standards of good forest management.

Yet nearly all of Canada's forests are public forests. The use of them is controlled by the federal and provincial governments who enforce some of the strictest regulations in the world. Why then, has there been such a tremendous, voluntary effort put into certifying the forestry practices used?
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Water experts everywhere are advocating the process of water harvesting—capturing, diverting and storing non-potable, or “reclaimed,” water for landscape irrigation and a variety of other uses. For years, some conscientious individuals have embraced smart water use by integrating small-scale water harvesting systems like rain barrels into their landscapes. Now, because of technological advances and the growing need to conserve potable water, specifiers and landscape architects are finding that water harvesting is an increasingly popular choice for larger applications like commercial sites, schools, apartment complexes and parks.
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Finding solutions to indoor air quality problems is often a complex, multifaceted endeavor. This practical desk reference serves as a guide and informational resource - both on treating existing indoor air problems effectively - and on preventing costly IAQ problems from occurring in the first place. A single discipline approach unfortunately tends to narrow both the control and the treatments options. This book cuts across professions to offer those concerned with the total facility a broader, more comprehensive approach to managing indoor air quality and mitigating indoor air quality problems. The third edition is extensively updated and edited in response to the rapid pace of changes and advances in the IAQ industry.
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In this episode of Green Talk, Green Building Pro Publisher, Patrick Egan discusses TAP Insulation with developer Bill Turk. TAP insulation offers sustainable, green, insulation for new and existing homes & buildings made from recycled paper that incorporates borate-based pest control into the product. TAP insulation increases the comfort of the home by reducing heating and cooling costs and with no off-gassing of chemicals and pest control management, improves indoor air quality.
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