A breath of fresh air
Robin Curtis of Health Based Building tells us how this Ohoka home was built using sustainable materials designed to look after our health as well as tread lightly on the environment.
Most of us spend around 90 per cent of our time inside built environments such as our homes and workplaces. It is vitally important that these structures, and the materials they are constructed from, support our health and wellbeing. In terms of our physical health, air quality and moisture levels are critical factors in maintaining environments that are safe for us. Many of the traditional building methods focus on air tightness to retain warmth, however, this also keeps in the moisture. It is then necessary to circulate the air using a ventilation system. Health Based Building approaches the problem of air quality quite differently.
The Ohoka home was built entirely using Health Based Building (HBB) whole home performance practices, utilising HBB’s range of sustainable materials. The walls are constructed using breathable, vapour permeable Foreverbreathe Wall Systems. Air tightness and vapour permeability work in harmony to remove moisture and increase air quality. Built from a combination of natural breathable materials, Foreverbreathe Wall Systems are simple to design, simple to build, easy to maintain, add no complexity in design and don’t require multiple plastic wraps or toxic insulation. All human health and environmental aspects have been thought through including down-stream waste management.
The construction industry creates an enormous amount of waste and the home at Ohoka demonstrates how things can be done differently, without introducing toxic substances into our environment. Homeowners planning to build or renovate now have the choice to specify materials with a minimal impact on the planet. From the floorboards to the insulation, interior paints and structural timber, the HBB health check process focuses on air tightness, air quality, human health, material health, financial health and environmental health.
Homes built using Health Based Building practices have measurable performance indicators so you know how the house performs and can monitor the quality of your living environment. We wouldn’t buy an appliance without knowing how it performs so why would we take a gamble with our biggest investment and our health.
0800 611 711 | healthbasedbuilding.com
