Sustainable Showcase 2013: The Hidden Luxury of Really Healthy Buildings

Guest Post by Anna Clark

Who says Dallas is all style and no substance? A beautiful façade may be something to behold, but we needn’t content ourselves with mere outward appearances. As allergies and asthma skyrocket, Big D’s building professionals are rethinking the materials they put inside their skyscrapers and other monuments. Given that indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, healthy building materials are among the most relevant considerations in residential and commercial real estate today.

If your walls could talk, what would they say? Many would choke, screaming “toxic.”  Concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – gases and chemicals emitted from certain materials – are up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors. According to a growing body of research, VOCs lead to short- and long-term adverse health effects that can range from asthma to chronic respiratory disease and damage to the brain and nervous system.

How can we improve the quality of our indoor air? According to the EPA, one of the most important solutions is source control. VOCs are emitted by thousands of products such as paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings and adhesives. Identifying alternatives to pollution sources that release harmful gases or particles is a vital step toward building healthier buildings.

On July 11, The AIA Dallas Committee on the Environment (COTE), USGBC North Texas, and the CSI Dallas Chapter, will jointly host North Texas Sustainable Showcase 2013, a conference addressing the health and environmental challenges inherent in the building process. Nationally-recognized architects and building professionals will convene at The Dallas Arboretum to exchange knowledge about healthy building materials and showcase the latest green building products and technologies for commercial and residential use.

Now in its sixth year, North Texas Sustainable Showcase is for architects, engineers, interior designers, developers, contractors, owners, facilities managers and others interested in the sustainable building industry.

“We are confident that our panel of recognized experts for this year’s event will give North Texas architects and building industry professionals a richer understanding of what is available in terms of healthier materials,” says committee planner Chris Mundell.

This year’s showcase will feature as keynote speaker FAIA LEED Fellow Bob Harris. He has more than 20 years of project experience with a focus on environmental issues ranging from land preservation advocacy to sustainable urban design. The event will also provide panel presentations with experts in the industry who will review why to choose healthy materials, how they affect designs, and how to implement in projects. For information or to register, visit http://www.ntxsustainableshowcase.com.