We have repeatedly contacted Build It Green with our concerns about formaldehyde in GreenPoint Rated homes. These concerns have not been well received by Build It Green staff. However, the health of families is at stake.
Yesterday, we sent the following letter to the Executive Director of Build It Green. We encourage families to add their concerns about formaldehyde concentrations in GreenPoint Rated homes.
Catherine Merschel
Executive Director
Build It Green
1434 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
Dear Ms. Merschel,
Build It Green recommends use of low formaldehyde materials to enhance the health of homes. However, data collected in new unoccupied homes indicate that some builders do not follow those recommendations. Our measurements found elevated formaldehyde in nearly every home we tested that was GreenPoint Rated or built to equivalent specifications.
We measured room air in several dozen homes throughout the greater San Jose area. With few exceptions, homes that were GreenPoint Rated had formaldehyde above 75 ppb. Some homes had nearly 300 ppb.
In addition, we found elevated formaldehyde in nearly every new home we tested in Los Altos, CA. Although many of those homes are not listed as GreenPoint Rated, Los Altos requires green building practices equivalent to GreenPoint Rated.
Homes we tested in San Jose, CA generally had lower formaldehyde. San Jose does not yet require GreenPoint Rated.
Requiring item K8 on the GreenPoint Rated worksheet would assure that GreenPoint Rated homes have less than 27 ppb formaldehyde. We encourage Built It Green to require K8 for GreenPoint Rated homes.
As we have offered in the past, we are willing to train Build It Green staff in basic air testing and exposure assessment methodologies. We invite Build It Green staff or designated consultants to accompany us when we test homes. We suggest that Build It Green conduct parallel testing in homes where we take measurements.
Releasing data prior to publication is not typical; however, the health of families is at stake. We offer to share relevant data from GreenPoint Rated homes, and we offer to continue sharing data as it comes available.
Sincerely,
Linda Kincaid, MPH, CIH
Photo by Linda Kincaid.
Free formaldehyde testing is available for new homes in Los Altos.
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Comments
It's important to note exactly what Build it Green wrote in response to Ms. Kincaid's work. The following is excerpted from their letter to her:
"Build It Green found the information in the articles quite inflammatory and simplistic, with an elementary perspective on the realities of any green building rating system and the US construction marketplace. Ms. Kincaid also severely misrepresents the standards and intent of California’s regulatory safeguards in place to help protect homeowners from actual risks of formaldehyde offgassing. Ms. Kincaid’s testing methodology is highly questionable, her conclusions overly simplistic and spurious. Her articles do the opposite of supporting the need for good comprehensive information regarding the realistic dynamics occurring in today’s homes."
And ...
"It is disappointing that Ms. Kincaid chose to use the communications with Build It Green to engaging in inaccurate, cowardly and sensationalistic journalism."
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