As we continue to uncover the human health impacts associated with buildings – a space in which we spend 87% of our lives – it is important that we find new and innovative methods of construction to improve overall health and quality of life for occupants.
On this episode of Buildings and Beyond, Robb sits down with SWA’s Managing Director of Sustainable Housing Services, Maureen Mahle, to shed light on the primary health issues found in buildings and discuss the various approaches, resources, and certifications designed to improve occupant health and well-being. 
Episode Guest: Maureen Mahle
Maureen Mahle is an engineer and specialist in high performance homes. Her background in sustainable design and construction includes piloting several LEED programs for the U.S. Green Building Council and certifying over 13,000 green homes in 10 states. Maureen is an advocate for connecting health to high performance homes, and is both a Fitwel Ambassador and a WELL AP. Under her leadership, SWA is a 6-time recipient of the Indoor airPLUS Leader Award.

Episode Information and Resources

* COGfx Study 1: Indoor Environmental Quality – Illustrates how increasing fresh air and lowering VOC’s above and beyond code levels had a dramatic impact on cognitive function and productivity.
* COGfx Study 2: ‘Buildingnomics’ – looks at the totality of effects that occupants of green buildings experience on health and productivity. The study also found differences between certified and non-certified high-performance buildings.
* Center for Disease Control – website explains the Social Determinants of Health, based on work by the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and research published in the New York academy of Sciences.
* The Second Leading Cause of Lung Cancer May Not be What You Expect – PartyWalls blogpost on radon.

Green Building Certifications:

* WELL Building Standard
* Fitwel Certification
* Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
* Enterprise Green Communities

We Want to Hear From You!
Send your feedback and questions to podcast@swinter.com
 
About Buildings and Beyond
Buildings and Beyond is a production of Steven Winter Associates. We provide energy, green building, and accessibility consulting services to improve the built environment. For more information, visit www.swinter.com.
Hosts
Robb Aldrich | Kelly Westby
Production Team