What building materials are safe?

Is a laundromat or gas station polluting your air or water?

researching what matters most...

Challenge

Our clients have questions about their environment but are not sure how to find the right answers. Environmental health jargon can be overwhelming and calling manufacturers and reading over Material Data Safety Sheets is neither fun nor easy. Access to government right-to-know databases is our right, but few people know these resources exist, let alone how to access them. Environmental and green building research is complex and sometimes very tedious.

Solution

HBI is ready to take the reigns of your research needs and return with professional reports tailored to your unique project.

Success Story

When an architect was first asked by her (Multiple Chemical Sensitive) client if their building would be healthy and safe, the architect of course said “yes.” But she knew her existing specification and material pallet had not been screened for pollutants. HBI was contracted by the architect to review the specification and research healthy material substitutions. Our client was surprised that so many sections in the specification had to be reworked, and now her standard spec includes mostly healthy and safe materials as opposed to the status quo. The home was built well and the home owner was pleased to be living in a health-supporting habitat. Happy owner, happy architect.

Healthy Building Research Benefits

We continually produce rigorous research to help understand our built environment and how it affects occupant health. We answer your specific question and provide a user-friendly report of our findings.

Environmental Research and Reporting Services

After framing the scope of research, HBI investigates the topic and reports back. Occasionally other experts in the industry are contracted to contribute to reports. Examples of Research and Reports Include:

• Contaminants
• Construction Plans
• Healthy Materials - Green Building
• Mold Remediation Protocols
• Right-To-Know Site Info - Gov’t Environmental Database

Contaminant research is often spurred by the discovery of an unusual pollutant during an inspection or lab analysis.

Construction Plans may include Indoor (or outdoor) Air Quality Management Plans, Construction Waste Management Plans, etc. Construction sites without the proper direction can be chaotic and unhealthy environments.

Healthy Materials research typically involves reviewing an existing specification or identifying healthy building material alternatives. Usually material research involves finding a healthy flooring, paint, caulk, etc. Sometimes a bulk material sample may be sent to our lab for more detailed scientific analysis.

Mold Remediation Protocols (MRP) are very detailed instructions that include safety requirements and scope of work for your specific project. Our MRPs are designed in accordance with industry-accepted standards (IICRC S520 Mold Remediation Standard). MRPs are used to instruct mold remediation contractors hired for the cleanup.

Through a strategic partnership with a dedicated environmental research company, HBI is able to offer Right-To-Know Environmental Database summaries quickly and affordably. When checking Scorecard or the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory isn’t enough, check all the government databases for leaks, spills, and releases in your neighborhood.

Qualifications

Our qualifications make us particularly well suited to perform rigorous and professional environmental and healthy building research. Alex Stadtner, Owner, is a Building Biology Environmental Consultant and LEED-AP, with experience working for one of the premier building research institutions in the country (Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems in Austin, TX).

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