Sick Building Syndrome

Home sweet home? Only if it can breath

Anything but home sweet home. According to official figures released by the World Health Organisation, 20% of people in the western world suffer headaches, irritated eyes, nose and throat, dry coughs, dry skin, dizziness or nausea, and fatigue caused by pollutants present in the home.

The Sick Building Syndrome is a product of contemporary architecture: in many new buildings or in recently renovated structures, the unmindful use of chemical products combined with poor ventilation and materials of limited breathability make houses more of a health trap than a home.

It is an indisputable fact that the quality of air in confined spaces must be considered a genuine public health concern as it affects not only the health of the population, pushing up associated health service costs, but it also has adverse economic effects.

Studies completed recently in the United States by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that 50% of the health problems of workers in the US could be traced to Sick Building Syndrome. This problem is behind 50% of absenteeism in the workplace, so you can easily imagine the effect this has on social costs.

What can we do about it? With GreenBuilding, the new type of building championed by Kerakoll. The aim is to improve health and quality of life by encouraging a more environmentally-aware and correct choice of building materials which must be eco-friendly and naturally breathable.

Kerakoll GreenBuilding reduces the concentration of pollutants found in indoor air and limits the occurrence of the many diseases that cause Sick Building Syndrome, and that are linked to poor building construction.