Design firm Perkins+Will has released a new report on the impact of the built environment on asthma. “Healthy Environments: A Compilation of Substances Linked to Asthma” identifies 374 substances commonly found in the buildings that are known or suspected asthma triggers, or “asthmagens.”
According to the report, 23 million Americans suffer from asthma, with 7.1 million of them children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that many indoor environments have pollutant levels two to five times higher, and occasionally more than 100 times higher, than outdoor levels. Among the indoor substances and objects linked to asthma are building materials and furnishings; household cleaning, personal care, and hobby products; central heating and cooling systems; and humidification devices.
The report also includes information on the occupations and industries that come into the most contact with these potentially hazardous materials. The report’s findings were compiled from an analysis of eight lists of published research from both academic and government sources.
Click here for the full report.
