US Green Building Standards Ignore Air Quality, Says Report
Building Design (06/10), Winston, Anna
A May report from Environmental & Human Health Inc. indicates that LEED-certified buildings may be contributing to toxic indoor environments, as the highest “platinum” rating can be achieved without credits for indoor air quality protection. According to the report, LEED Certification: Where Energy Efficiency Collides With Human Health, “[The LEED Certification system conveys a] false impression of a healthy and safe building environment, even when well-recognized hazardous chemicals exist in building products.” Yale University risk analysis and environmental policy professor John Wargo, who penned the report, notes that “tighter buildings often concentrate chemicals released from building materials, cleaning supplies, fuel combustion, pesticides and other hazardous substances.”