The library at St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, Mass., is part of a formaldehyde-free renovation project at the school.
With the proliferation of building products touting “green” characteristics, it’s easy to become confused about what’s best for your school, building or home. The increasing challenge is to find products that have made substantive changes to truly address concerns about healthy indoor environments for building occupants, especially school children.
At Johns Manville we know at least one thing is certain – the best way to both address health concerns over formaldehyde in indoor air environments and reduce the cumulative effect is to simply remove formaldehyde from insulation products.
In 2002, Johns Manville began offering a full line of formaldehyde-free fiberglass insulation batts, rolls and loose-fill systems. Instead of formaldehyde, which is commonly used as a binder for fiberglass, our fiberglass insulation features a non-carcinogenic acrylic binder. The result is a product that contains no detectable formaldehyde or volatile organic compounds, thus reducing concerns about formaldehyde in the air during manufacturing and once the insulation is installed.
The benefits of reducing airborne formaldehyde are extensive. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, elevated levels of formaldehyde can cause burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea and difficulty breathing. It has also been found to trigger asthmatic attacks in some people. In addition, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies formaldehyde as a “probable” human carcinogen.
Public schools across the United States understand the need for better indoor air quality and are specifying formaldehyde-free insulation at an increasing rate. The California public school system, through the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, was one of the first adopters of formaldehyde-free and low-VOC product specifications in order to improve learning environments. Locally, schools in Massachusetts are adopting formaldehyde-free product specifications as well.
The Alice M. Barrows Elementary School in Reading, Mass., recently specified formaldehyde-free insulation for a renovation project that includes the addition of a new school gymnasium and media center. Built in 1962, Alice M. Barrows is a 54,000-square-foot facility with 400 students. The school is committed to improving the overall indoor air quality for its students and is currently working with Flansburgh Assoc., a Boston-based architecture firm, which specializes in educational and environmentally sensitive building design.
“We are taking a number of measures to make Alice Barrows a healthy environment for its students and faculty,” said James Carr, an architect with Flansburgh. “We specified formaldehyde-free and low-VOC insulation because it improves the overall indoor air quality and provides an optimal environment for children to learn.”
In addition to using formaldehyde-free insulation, the number of operable windows in the school is dramatically increasing in order to improve ventilation and quality air movement. Also being installed are ceiling fans in every classroom, the gym and library to improve occupant comfort and reduce the need for energy-consuming air conditioning systems.
St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, Mass., is currently working on a renovation project as well with Lavallee/Brensinger, a 35-person architecture firm in Manchester, N.H. St. Mary’s is adding an additional 30,000 square feet to its structure, which will house new classrooms, a library media center, a lecture hall and administrative offices.
“We specified formaldehyde-free insulation due to our concern for improved indoor air quality,” said Chris Drobat, project architect at Lavallee/Brensinger. “When I walk down the insulation aisle in my local home improvement store, I
can smell the formaldehyde.” Why would you want that where you learn, work or live? As designers, architects have the ability to significantly influence the built environment and the industry. Each time we specify a product such as formaldehyde-free insulation, we encourage manufacturers to continue to improve the quality of these products that we use in our buildings. Many manufacturers have realized that this is not only good for the human and natural environments but also good for business,” said Drobat.
Many architecture firms and builders are moving more towards green building than ever before and are taking a proactive approach to meet the demands of clients.
“This is something we need to do,” added Drobat. “We want to build schools and buildings that are healthier and more sustainable than buildings of the past. Through our own education and efforts, we have learned that formaldehyde-free is the way to go.”
