The phrase “sick building syndrome” is most often used to refer to the common workplace and all the irritants that can cause discomfort and set-off respiratory ailments due to the time spent indoors in the office. What would surprise you then, is a recent study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health that showed, just second to the manufacturing sector, that work-related asthma rates rank higher in the health care industry when compared to any other work group. The obvious question following such results has us looking at whether or not the buildings we go to get healthy in are in fact making us sicker.

While the jury may still be out, and there will always be skeptics when it comes to the healthcare industry, a recent article in Business Week shows that architects and engineers are taking the indoor air quality (IAQ) in our hospitals seriously. The good news here is that their job becomes easier with the introduction of more products that are available with little or no VOCs, including linoleum tile, cotton insulation and undyed wool cotton carpet. The integration of these materials with a more precisely engineered understanding of HVAC systems thanks to computer technology and some inventive hospital planning have both old and new hospitals being built or modernized with ultimate health of the patient in mind. Additionally, the growth and switch to natural cleaning products also helps relieve some the extraneous hazardous chemicals that can dispel a patient’s recovery to full health. There are even products to manage pest control chemical free.

With all the new systems, materials, and goods in use, the resulting building might have you wondering if you’re walking the halls of an intricate system of clean rooms. Efforts have also been extended to the exterior surrounds of the hospital, as it is such a vital source of the air they bring into the system. A series of pocket gardens, living walls, roof gardens, and the like have been incorporated into the new designs acting as a natural bio filter extraneous to the hospital building envelope.

The good news here is that our hospitals themselves are conclusively getting healthier, and that their ability to take a decent chunk out of the “sick building syndrome” is in large part due to the raised awareness and product availability of the ongoing sustainable movement.
+ Business Week Online Article