Free Webcast: How to Find and Avoid Toxic Chemicals in Buildings

Phobia or fatigue? When it comes to toxic chemicals, we all have our own way of coping with information overload. A free webcast helps you sort it all out.

Do you know where the most toxic chemicals are in building products? Vinyl sheet flooring is a top hazard, but far from the only one.Photo Credit: DIYadvice.com

Even if we try to ignore it, we are constantly barraged with information about dangerous chemicals in our food, our water, our dust, our air…even our grocery receipts.

The information is often sensationalized, always incomplete, and sometimes downright contradictory from one day to the next.

You can’t “go organic” at work

It’s hard enough to make choices about everyday things like organic food, antibacterial soap, or vinyl flooring in your own home.

As a building professional, your clients look to you to help them make solid, science-based decisions about even more complex products and materials. Decisions about a school, a multifamily building, or a commercial office space can affect a lot of people. Do you have enough information to answer the questions of concerned clients?

Other clients may be skeptical about the dangers of certain materials or worried that alternatives will cost too much, even if they’re interested in healthier materials. How do you cope with that?

Webcast cuts to the chase

There are no easy answers to any of these questions, but we do know how to identify and eliminate some of the worst hazards from our buildings. In a free webcast at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, we’ll take a look at some successful strategies. “Toxic Chemicals in Buildings: How to Find & Avoid the Worst Offenders,” presented by BuildingGreen President Nadav Malin and myself, will include:

• Different approaches to information overload
• What we know about toxic chemicals in our buildings
• Coping with knowledge gaps
• Tools for finding out more
• Voices of experience

VOCs, PBTs, and even more acronyms explained!

These strategies will include an in-depth look at a few issues, such as:

• The highest-priority chemicals targeted for avoidance
• Why VOCs are important but not the only thing you need to worry about
• How to get better information about product ingredients
• How key health hazards differ by product category
• Great opportunities for healthier choices

The webcast is free, and participation makes you eligible for 1 AIA HSW-Sustainable Design learning unit and/or 1 LEED credential maintenance continuing education hour.