Green buildings make people healthy

October 19, 2015

People who live in “green buildings”, or those made of eco-friendly materials, were less likely to have Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), than those who live in conventional buildings, says a study published on the American Journal of Public Health

SBS symptoms include headaches, itchy eyes, and breathing problems. Asthma attacks were also lower for children in green buildings.

“Green design incorporates many aspects that could reduce environmental exposures and improve health, such as the removal of pollution sources and the addition of exhaust ventilation,” said lead author Meryl Colton, a researcher at Harvard Chan School when the study was done and now a medical student at the University of Colorado. “Our study is unique in that it is the first green housing study large enough to examine changes in some important outcomes such as children’s asthma attacks and hospital visits.”

The Harvard Chan researchers worked in collaboration with the Boston Housing Authority to gather data from residents in three BHA developments in 2012 and 2013. They completed surveys with more than 200 residents and conducted more than 400 home inspections, and returned for follow-up surveys and visits approximately one year after the initial interaction. Half of the housing units included in the study had been built using green building standards and policies and the other half were conventionally constructed.

Results showed that adults living in green units reported 1.35 fewer SBS symptoms, than those living in conventional homes. Asthmatic children living in green homes experienced substantially lower risk of asthma symptoms, asthmatic attacks, hospital visits, and asthma-related school absences than children living in conventional public housing. The researchers also found that the green homes were less likely to have inadequate ventilation, mold, secondhand smoke, pests, and combustion byproducts inside, all of which can contribute to negative health outcomes.

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