ABSTRACT
Law and science interact in important and dynamic ways. Science ultimately supports regulation, and as the collective knowledge base regarding the environmental and human health impacts of many common building materials continues to grow, these interactions will become more frequent. Early in the history of regulation of buildings, threats to human health and safety, including massive fires and unsanitary living conditions, were relatively easy to pinpoint. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used in a variety of building products ranging from insulation to floor tiles. The Americans with Disabilities Act covers many aspects of everyday life, and in order to carry out its directives, existing building codes and other regulations were impacted and new codes and regulations were enacted. Industry groups and practitioners are driving change as they continue to demand increased transparency with regard to the composition of building products.
