Designing Healthy Homes: How to Build a Home that Supports Wellness
Making conscious choices to improve your wellbeing and comfort.
Building a home is not just about creating a visually stunning space, but also about providing a healthy and comfortable living environment for those who call it home. In this article, we explore the benefits of incorporating healthy building strategies, to ensure that your home is a safe and healthy environment for you and your loved ones. Our commitment to using non-toxic materials where possible ensures that our homes are not only aesthetically designed but also prioritise the wellbeing of the families we are so grateful to work with. By making conscious decisions throughout the design and build process, we can create homes that are both beautiful and healthy, helping our clients to live their best lives. As you read further, you'll discover just some of benefits and ways in which you can incorporate healthier materials throughout the build process to create a healthier living environment for your family.
Build Construct Melbourne. Architect Angela Prince. Interior Design and Styling Ryan Fernandes. Photography Elise Scott.
Importance of Healthy Building Strategies
Harmful compounds in building materials, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), bisphenol A (BPAs) and formaldehyde, can have a negative impact on the health of residents. Exposure to these compounds has been linked to endocrine disruption, respiratory issues, headaches, and other health problems. Healthier building strategies, such as using non-toxic building materials and ensuring proper ventilation, can mitigate these effects and provide a healthier living environment.
Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) Paints, adhesives, sealants and carpets.
Using products with Low VOCs is a healthier alternative to traditional building materials that contain high levels of harmful chemicals. VOCs are chemicals that evaporate at room temperature and can contribute to poor indoor air quality. Traditional paints, adhesives, sealants, and carpets can release these harmful VOCs into the air long after they've been applied, which can lead to health problems such as headaches, dizziness, and respiratory issues. In contrast, low VOC materials contain fewer of these harmful chemicals and release fewer VOCs into the air. Therefore, using low VOC materials throughout your home can lead to improved indoor air quality, reduced exposure to harmful chemicals, and a healthier living environment for homeowners.
“There are studies that show that you get 70 per cent of the toxins that you absorb into your body through the air you breathe inside buildings,” says Stuart McPhee, national sales manager of non-toxic paint manufacturer, ecolour.
At Construct Melbourne, we prefer using Australian, low VOC paints such as Dulux Enviro2, Taubmans Pure Performance, Wattyl Solagard and low VOC options from Porter’s Paint to limit exposure to harmful chemicals across our team and our clients.
3. Complete home water filtration, reverse osmosis and copper pipes
When it comes to building a home that promotes health and wellness, you can’t look past the quality of water and the significant health benefits that occur from removing harmful chemicals and pollutants from our water supply. Water filtration, reverse osmosis, and the pipes you use can all play significant roles in reducing exposure to harmful toxins and ensuring the water in your home is as pure as possible.
When it comes to building a home that promotes health and wellness, the type of plumbing used can make a significant impact. Plastic pipes, while popular due to their affordability and ease of installation, can pose health risks. Over time, plastic pipes can break down, resulting in microplastic particles and harmful chemicals leaching into the water supply. Additionally, plastic pipes can be prone to mould growth and are less durable than copper pipes, leading to more frequent repairs and replacements. In contrast, copper pipes are a more sustainable and healthier option for plumbing. Copper is naturally antimicrobial, corrosion-resistant and long-lasting, which means fewer repairs and replacements over the lifespan of the home. Copper pipes also do not contain harmful chemicals or synthetic additives that can leach into the water supply, ensuring a clean and safe water source for your home.
At Construct Melbourne, we recommend prioritising the use of copper pipes where possible, to promote longevity and to help ensure your water supply remains safe and healthy.
Non-Toxic Insulation
Fiberglass and spray foam are popular choices for insulation due to their affordability and effectiveness at trapping heat. However, these materials can also pose potential health risks. Fiberglass insulation contains small glass fibers that can be inhaled, leading to respiratory issues and skin irritation. Spray foam insulation can release chemicals and irritants into the air during installation and can be difficult to remove if needed. In contrast, non-toxic insulation, such as wool or cotton, provide a healthier and more sustainable alternative. Wool is an organic insulator that is naturally fire-resistant, pest-resistant, and hypoallergenic. Cotton insulation is made from recycled cotton fibers and is free from toxic chemicals, making it a safe option for homes with children or pets. Using non-toxic insulation materials can improve indoor air quality, reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, and promote an eco-friendly home.
At Construct Melbourne, we recommend the use of Terra Lana wool blend insulation. The New Zealand brand offers sustainable wool solutions across a myriad of insulation applications such as interiors, acoustics and plumbing.
Other Non-Toxic Building Strategies
There are many other sustainable building strategies that can be incorporated into custom new home builds and major renovations. For example, using non-toxic building materials such as bamboo or cork flooring, wool carpets, and formaldehyde-free cabinetry can reduce exposure to harmful compounds. Hydronic heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can also improve indoor air quality and reduce energy consumption.
Incorporating healthy building strategies plays an essential role in ensuring a non-toxic environment for your family to thrive in. By incorporating conscious choices throughout the design build process, we can create your dream home that prioritises beautiful design and the wellness of your family.
Contact Construct Melbourne to learn more about how we can work with you to bring your dream home to life and trust that you are in the hands of an award-winning residential builder that can support you in your journey to limit your exposure to these common yet harmful materials.