Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: carpets/env sensitivities; Resource-efficenct Building Materials

[Jeffrey O. Hobson (dcn00109]

Judy Baxter wrote about carpet toxicity concerns.  My response is:

Yes there are indoor air quality (that's builder jargon) concerns with
carpets and other building materials.  I'm afraid I don't have specific
costs & info on toxicity, but I can refer you to people who do.  My only
specific information is that an architect-friend has tried some
natural/non-toxic materials and found them lacking from a performance
point-of-view (i.e., carpet that didn't stay attached to the floor, frays
too easily, shows dirt easily).  Synthetics are rather amazing creations,
and it is difficult to recreate their miracles.

One suggestion I have heard is to evacuate the house, turn the furnace
thermostat up to 90 degrees (yes, ninety!) for a few days to "bake-out" the
toxins, then flush the house with lots of air.  This procedure was tried by
SoCalEdison (electric utility in Southern California) on a commercial
building they finished recently, with less than impressive results.  The
concentration of various organic chemicals in the building went down
significantly one week after the baking, but rebounded to pre-baking levels
at the second and third weeks of monitoring.  they suggested that this was
because the baking only successfully cleaned the outer layers of all the
building materials, and did not significantly affect the "primary" sources
of toxins, inside the walls, etc.  More info on this test is available from
the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) - the results
were presented at their recent conference.  I don't have their address
handy, but could get it if someone is really interested.

Back to carpets: 

This is a field that is developing quickly, so information is likely to
change; many current concerns will be disproven, and others will come to
light.  Nonetheless, there are many good places to look for info:


1) The _Environmental Building News_ is a bi-monthly newsletter that has
addressed this issue.  Probably the best-researched and most well-written
source, and best place to find out whether you really need to worry. Alex
Wilson, Ed., RR1 Box 161, Brattleboro VT 05301, 802-257-7300

2) Interior Concerns publishes a _Resource Guide_ and a newsletter about
environmentally sensitive and low-toxic alternative products.  Victoria
Schomer, PO Box 2386 Mill Valley CA 94942 (415) 389-8049 (phone),
388-8322(fax).  In particular, I know that Victoria is aware of a
natural/non-toxic carpet company in Georgia.

3) The Center for Resourceful Building Technology in Montana publishes a
_Guide to Resource-Efficient Building Materials_ (GREBE).  You can buy one
for $25 from CRBT, Box 3866 Missoula, MT 59806, phone 406-549-7678. I've
seen a copy of this, and it includes 4 pages on "flooring", including carpet
from recycled plastics, info on carpet pads, and other floor coverings.
CRBT also distributes a list of "Resource Efficiency Info Sources &
Demonstration Projects".

4) Boston Society of Architects publishes a _Sourcebook for Sustainable
Design_, available for $25 from BSA, 52 Broad St.,  Boston MA 02109-4301, or
fax 617-951-0845 (for credit card orders).  It includes info on the why's of
toxics, and what alternatives are out there (including natural fiber
carpets, as Bill Paiss suggested).  

5) Clean Washington Center publishes a _Directory of Recycled Content
Building & Construction Products_, which has several pages about "Resilient
Flooring" (I think that means carpet).  Some of these will be less toxic.
Write/call the Clean Washington Center, Dept of Trade & Economic
Development, 2001 6th Ave Suite 2700, Seattle WA 98121 (206) 464-7040.

6)_In Context_ published a _Resource Guide_ in their issue No.35 on
sustainable communities.  Contact them @ Context Institute PO Box 11470
Bainbridge Is WA 98110, 1-800-462-6683 for orders)

7) The closest one to your area I can find in the CRBT list is Environmental
Health Watch's _Healthy House Catalog_, 4115 Bridge Ave., Cleveland OH 44113
(yes I know Cleveland isn't very close, but it really is the closest I can
find - or maybe Montana's closer).  

There are also several books out; I don't know anything about their reliability:
Non-Toxic Home; Your Home, Your Health, and Well-Being; Natural House Book;
Healthy House; Healing Environments: Your Guide to Indoor Well-Being

I hope this was useful, for carpets and anything else.  I'd be curious to
hear what you decide on.

peace,


Jeffrey Hobson                                    N Street Cohousing 
dcn00109 [at] wheel.ucdavis.edu         Davis Energy Group