GreenPoint Rated homes: San Jose City Council investigates elevated formaldehyde

August 5, 9:31 AMSan Jose Environmental Health ExaminerLinda Kincaid, MPH, CIH

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Yesterday, the San Jose City Council voted to investigate elevated formaldehyde in GreenPoint Rated homes. The City Council adopted ORD. NO. 28622, the Green Building Regulation. However, no building permits will be issued until the Council addresses poor indoor air quality found in existing GreenPoint Rated homes.

Two Santa Clara County residents presented data to the Council, showing that GreenPoint Rated homes have elevated formaldehyde. Real estate broker Richard Calhoun explained that homes in all five of the GreenPoint Rated developments in the county have formaldehyde near or above 77 ppb, the average in the Katrina FEMA trailers.

Industrial hygienist Linda Kincaid presented data from specific properties. A GreenPoint Rated development in San Jose was promoted as “free of toxins”. A home in that development had 97 ppb formaldehyde in room air. A kitchen cabinet had nearly 500 ppb formaldehyde.

An upscale development is currently in review for GreenPoint Rated. Room air in one home averaged over 100 ppb, a concentration that will cause illness in most adults. Children can be affected at 30 ppb.

Areas of the home had nearly 300 ppb formaldehyde, the ceiling limit for occupational exposures. A worker in that home could be required to wear a respirator.

Ms. Kincaid repeatedly contacted the builder, and she copied the listing agent for the properties. They did not respond.

Ms. Kincaid then contacted Build It Green and suggested that a home with 300 ppb formaldehyde should not be GreenPoint Rated. Built It Green responded, “There are many ways to achieve GreenPoint Rated”.

Calhoun and Kincaid requested the City Council require item K8 on the GreenPoint Rated worksheet. K8 specifies the air in a home has been tested and contains less than 27 ppb formaldehyde.
However, GreenPoint Rated does not currently require any indoor air testing whatsoever.  K8 testing is rare.

As currently structured, the GreenPoint system emphasizes energy conservation at the expense of occupant health. Of 50 points required, only 5 points are needed for Indoor Air Quality.

GreenPoint Rated homes are typically very well sealed. Those homes conserve energy by reducing infiltration of outdoor air. However, formaldehyde in those homes can concentrate to hazardous levels unless occupants open windows daily.

Residents of San Jose that are concerned about indoor air quality can contact their Council Members and request that K8 be required. The Transportation and Environment Committee will discuss the formaldehyde issue. That committee typically meets on the first Monday of each month.

Photo by Linda Kincaid.