ABSTRACT
Whether in an office, a factory, a store or a home, most work is conducted in buildings – and the vast majority of the world’s buildings are problematic. In some countries, buildings consume more than 68% of all electricity produced, account for over 39% of the nation’s energy demands, and are responsible for contributing 38% to the country’s total carbon dioxide emissions. Equally as unsettling, it’s not uncommon for indoor pollution levels to be two to five times higher (occasionally 100 times higher) than outdoor levels due to dust and fumes from interior building materials, cleaning solutions, production processes, central heating and cooling systems, radon gas, pesticides, paint, glue, carpets and so on. In the USA alone, nationwide building-related productivity losses and illnesses resulting from toxins can cost businesses $60 billion annually. Eliminating these expenses is therefore fundamental to the sustainability process.
