Ecological and Health Effects of Building Materials


Book Description

This book deals with the present adverse effects of using precarious building materials on the ecology and human health. Also, the detailed discussions on the novel and greener construction materials and their utilization as an alternative to the conventional harmful existing methods and materials are also presented in the subsequent chapters. This book helps to fill the research gaps in the existing prior-art knowledge in the field of sustainable construction and green building materials and methods giving due importance to ecology and health, specifically to the fields of sustainable structural engineering, sustainable geotechnical engineering, sustainable road engineering, etc. This book helps in achieving a sustainable environment through possible adoption of innovative and ecological construction practices. Hence, this book acts as a practical workbook, mainly for the academicians and practicing engineers who are willing to work toward the consecrated building industry. It is a well-established fact that the constructions of the engineering structures consume more and more earth resources than any other human activities in the world. In addition, the construction-related activities will produce several million tons of greenhouse gases, toxic emissions, water pollutants, and solid wastes. This creates a huge impact on environment and causes severe health issues on humans and animals. It is thus important to create an eco-friendly construction environment which can satisfy the ecological and health requirements.




Building Materials for Sustainable and Ecological Environment


Book Description

This book uses theories, hypotheses, policies, practical insights and case studies to introduce and elucidate green building materials for sustainable construction. Cement is the most widely used building material in construction; however, it is not sustainable, being responsible for 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions and consuming huge quantities of energy. In order to limit the ecological damage, sustainable building materials are needed. Ecosystems are a source of important lessons and models for transitioning the built environment onto a sustainable path that opens options for sustainable building material in construction. The book provides a guide for readers seeking knowledge on sustainable building materials with the potential to lower environmental impact by reducing CO2 emission throughout the building’s lifecycle. The book is motivated by recent rapid advances in sustainable building materials production, including green building materials made of industrial by-products and recycled wastes, earth materials, plant-based materials, microbial-based materials or supplementary cementitious materials, to reduce the environmental impacts of traditional building materials. Discussing the development and applications of various sustainable building materials, including related case studies, and addressing the environmental issue with a holistic and systematic approach that creates an ecology of construction for sustainability in infrastructures, it offers promising solutions to achieve renewable and sustainable building materials for the future.




The Ecology of Building Materials


Book Description

Resource added for the Architectural Technology program 106141.




Building Materials


Book Description

The construction industry is bombarded with ever-changing building materials—components of which are more and more difficult, if not impossible, to identify. Building material emissions have been implicated as a major source of indoor air pollution, and toxic gases, often unidentified, are generated in building fires. Building Materials: Product Emission and Combustion Health Hazards undertakes the task of identifying building materials emission and combustion health hazards. This practical guide introduces the complex world of polymers commonly used in building materials along with plasticizers and additives that are not regulated by OSHA. It also explores the topic of building materials as they relate to function and their emissions/combustion products along with thermal decomposition and combustion products as they relate to fire first responders. Engaging environmental professionals, construction management firms, architects, first respondents, and students, this valuable reference delivers a comprehensive spectrum of knowledge needed to face the challenges of managing building materials in the twenty-first century. Awareness is the first line of defense!




Green Healthcare Institutions


Book Description

Green Healthcare Institutions : Health, Environment, and Economics, Workshop Summary is based on the ninth workshop in a series of workshops sponsored by the Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine since the roundtable began meeting in 1998. When choosing workshops and activities, the roundtable looks for areas of mutual concern and also areas that need further research to develop a strong environmental science background. This workshop focused on the environmental and health impacts related to the design, construction, and operations of healthcare facilities, which are part of one of the largest service industries in the United States. Healthcare institutions are major employers with a considerable role in the community, and it is important to analyze this significant industry. The environment of healthcare facilities is unique; it has multiple stakeholders on both sides, as the givers and the receivers of care. In order to provide optimal care, more research is needed to determine the impacts of the built environment on human health. The scientific evidence for embarking on a green building agenda is not complete, and at present, scientists have limited information. Green Healthcare Institutions : Health, Environment, and Economics, Workshop Summary captures the discussions and presentations by the speakers and participants; they identified the areas in which additional research is needed, the processes by which change can occur, and the gaps in knowledge.




Hazardous Building Materials


Book Description

Following the highly successful format of the first edition, this book's main purpose is to guide construction industry professionals on how to select healthy and environmentally-friendly construction materials.




Toxicity of Building Materials


Book Description

From long-standing worries regarding the use of lead and asbestos to recent research into carcinogenic issues related to the use of plastics in construction, there is growing concern regarding the potential toxic effects of building materials on health. Toxicity of building materials provides an essential guide to this important problem and its solutions. Beginning with an overview of the material types and potential health hazards presented by building materials, the book goes on to consider key plastic materials. Materials responsible for formaldehyde and volatile organic compound emissions, as well as semi-volatile organic compounds, are then explored in depth, before a review of wood preservatives and mineral fibre-based building materials. Issues related to the use of radioactive materials and materials that release toxic fumes during burning are the focus of subsequent chapters, followed by discussion of the range of heavy metals, materials prone to mould growth, and antimicrobials. Finally, Toxicity of building materials concludes by considering the potential hazards posed by waste based/recycled building materials, and the toxicity of nanoparticles. With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, Toxicity of building materials is an invaluable tool for all civil engineers, materials researchers, scientists and educators working in the field of building materials. Provides an essential guide to the potential toxic effects of building materials on health Comprehensively examines materials responsible for formaldehyde and volatile organic compound emissions, as well as semi-volatile organic compounds Later chapters focus on issues surrounding the use of radioactive materials and materials that release toxic fumes during burning




Damp Indoor Spaces and Health


Book Description

Almost all homes, apartments, and commercial buildings will experience leaks, flooding, or other forms of excessive indoor dampness at some point. Not only is excessive dampness a health problem by itself, it also contributes to several other potentially problematic types of situations. Molds and other microbial agents favor damp indoor environments, and excess moisture may initiate the release of chemical emissions from damaged building materials and furnishings. This new book from the Institute of Medicine examines the health impact of exposures resulting from damp indoor environments and offers recommendations for public health interventions. Damp Indoor Spaces and Health covers a broad range of topics. The book not only examines the relationship between damp or moldy indoor environments and adverse health outcomes but also discusses how and where buildings get wet, how dampness influences microbial growth and chemical emissions, ways to prevent and remediate dampness, and elements of a public health response to the issues. A comprehensive literature review finds sufficient evidence of an association between damp indoor environments and some upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing, wheezing, and asthma symptoms in sensitized persons. This important book will be of interest to a wide-ranging audience of science, health, engineering, and building professionals, government officials, and members of the public.




Microbiomes of the Built Environment


Book Description

People's desire to understand the environments in which they live is a natural one. People spend most of their time in spaces and structures designed, built, and managed by humans, and it is estimated that people in developed countries now spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. As people move from homes to workplaces, traveling in cars and on transit systems, microorganisms are continually with and around them. The human-associated microbes that are shed, along with the human behaviors that affect their transport and removal, make significant contributions to the diversity of the indoor microbiome. The characteristics of "healthy" indoor environments cannot yet be defined, nor do microbial, clinical, and building researchers yet understand how to modify features of indoor environmentsâ€"such as building ventilation systems and the chemistry of building materialsâ€"in ways that would have predictable impacts on microbial communities to promote health and prevent disease. The factors that affect the environments within buildings, the ways in which building characteristics influence the composition and function of indoor microbial communities, and the ways in which these microbial communities relate to human health and well-being are extraordinarily complex and can be explored only as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem by engaging the fields of microbial biology and ecology, chemistry, building science, and human physiology. This report reviews what is known about the intersection of these disciplines, and how new tools may facilitate advances in understanding the ecosystem of built environments, indoor microbiomes, and effects on human health and well-being. It offers a research agenda to generate the information needed so that stakeholders with an interest in understanding the impacts of built environments will be able to make more informed decisions.




Intersections


Book Description

Based on worldwide public health data, this report lays out the premise for building healthy places and illuminates the role of the real estate and development community in addressing public health issues. This is an essential resource for public officials, real estate developers, engineers, consultants, and students of urban planning.