26/04/2005 Making sure
that buildings do not contain harmful materials
is one element architects have to take into
account in their plans. Two European architects:
Livia Tirone from Portugal and Vibeke Grupe
Larsen from Denmark explain why they believe
that REACH could make buildings safer.
While most people are now aware of the dangers
of asbestos in building, but fewer people
are aware that building materials also can
contain other harmful chemicals.
PVC is one of the major materials that architects
are increasingly trying to avoid as it releases
dangerous dioxins when it is burnt. Until
recently the construction industry was unaware
of its true cost and it was seen as a cheap
convenient material, used for piping, vinyl
siding, and vinyl flooring and window frames.
As Livia Tirone of the architecture firm
Tirone Nunes explains, "We don’t want
to use PVC windows and we have finally found
a manufacturer that will supply recycled (secondary)
aluminium windows for a large development
we are designing.
PVC is also on Danish architect Vibeke Grupe
Larsen’s ‘materials to avoid’ list, together
with mineral wool and those specified by the
Danish Ministry of the Environment.
"Wherever possible I try to substitute
natural materials", she says.
Architects have to ensure that those working
on site are adequately protected as well says
Livia Tirone. "We are also aware of potential
hazards during the construction stage and
have a list of ‘no-no’ materials, such as
certain glues and other materials like asbestos,
polyurethane, formaldehydes, benzene that
can’t be used even on site.
There are also some products – for example,
some of the acoustic insulation materials
that should only be used between double walls
so that they are not in contact with indoor
air. Also during construction the fibres could
be hazardous to the health of those handling
them, so they have to be fully protected."
Building a safe living and working environment
An important element for architects is to
make sure that buildings are safe for people
to live and work in. Illnesses caused by indoor
pollution are on the increase.
In Europe there has been an explosion of people
suffering from multiple chemical sensitivity,
a condition caused by contact with chemicals
in the indoor building environment and the
USA’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
has called indoor pollution "one of the
top five environmental health risks for our
time".
Because we spend around 90% of our time indoors,
we need healthy indoor air quality, so we
don’t get sick. We have to cut down the production
of hazardous materials, since they cause problems
for our working environment", explains
Vibeke Grupe Larsen.
However, avoiding hazardous materials is not
always that easy. "Architects need information
so they can decide what materials to specify"
explained Livia Tirone. "Manufacturers
have the responsibility to inform us, but
at the moment they don’t always give us this
information".
REACH – an important step in the right direction
So will REACH make sustainable architects’
jobs easier?
Vibeke Grupe Larsen is adamant "Absolutely",
she responds. "REACH will help us to
control the use of hazardous chemicals in
buildings. It is definitely a step in the
right direction".
Livia Tirone certainly supports the proposals
too. "REACH is something we welcome.
It will help to give us the clear information
we need about the products that are available
on the market, so we can decide which ones
to specify".
However, she explained that it was not just
individual products that can cause problems,
but also chemicals that are mixed on site.
"We need to have specialist information
about what happens when certain chemicals
are mixed, and which chemicals can be mixed,
not just for health reasons, but also to improve
the durability of our work", she said.
"We recently used a glue with ceramic
materials. We didn’t know the glue contained
sand, and when it rained the sand leached
out and stained the ceramics. Better information
from the manufacturers would avoid this".
You don’t have any choice
So what makes architects specialise in sustainability?
Livia Tirone explains, "You are aware
that it is possible to offer health and comfort
in all buildings if they are conceived using
the best available technologies. Then you
discover that 80% of people are suffering
from breathing problems (like asthma), because
something is wrong with the indoor air quality
– you really don’t have a choice".
Both Livia Tirone and Vibeke Grupe Larsen
are well-known figures in the world of sustainable
architecture in Europe.
Livia Tirone has chaired the European Commission’s
Working Group on Sustainable Construction
Methods and Techniques, part of the Thematic
Strategy on the Urban Environment and chairs
the Architects’ Council of Europe’s working
group on ‘Environment and Sustainable Architecture.
Vibeke Grupe Larsen is the working group’s
vice chair and also heads the environmental
section of the Association of Danish Architects.
