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!
The construction industry is challenged with 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 easy-to-read, practical book is a "composite of multiple and/or obscure sources of information"-intended to minimize the reader's research time and confusion when planning healthy building materials in construction and renovation projects.
"Dr. Hess-Kosa's book provides?a searchlight of clear, expert information that guides the reader through natural and synthetic building materials, their uses, properties, emissions, and risks. This book is an heir to Rachel Carlson (Silent Spring) and Theo Colborn (Our Stolen Future) but with a new turn: from building foundation to chimney top the author describes hundreds of classes and specific building materials, explaining their potential hazards. Everyone who builds, renovates, enters, works in or lives in buildings, as well as anyone who studies the safety of the building environment will find this work invaluable." -Daniel Friedman, InspectApedia.com, Poughkeepsie New York, USA
"This would be an excellent resource for anyone concerned about exposure to chemicals released from building materials (including furnishings and even consumer products). This includes architects, contactors, health professionals and building managers. Also building office occupants themselves and homeowners who are exposed daily to the indoor environment. The general public and responders such as firefighters are exposed to smoke and fumes emitted from building materials in case of fires and would find information presented in this book invaluable." - Charles S. Jamison, The University of Texas at Austin, USA