Building Materials

Kathleen Hess-Kosa, MS, CIH, is an industrial hygiene/environmental consultant with Omega Environmental Consulting in Canyon Lake, Texas. In 1972, she earned her Bachelor of Science in microbiology with a minor in chemistry from Oklahoma State University. In 1979, she earned a Master of Science in industrial hygiene from the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. After her travails through the education system, she finally entered the real world and became challenged with all problems great and small within an insurance company. While working for Firemen’s Fund Insurance Companies, she had the opportunity to become involved in a variety of unique industrial hygiene assessments including her first indoor air quality study which involved a newly constructed 800-occupant high rise office building. This was back in 1982, and the 90% complaint rate dropped to 10%—after throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the problem. Her success sparked that which has become her passion for indoor air quality. Subsequently, she has pursued multiple avenues to effectively respond to the new challenges. Upon starting her own consulting firm in 1986, Ms. Hess-Kosa has continued to pursue her passion, added to her list of curiosities mold/moisture damage, sewage contamination, and all things out of the ordinary. She has taken several courses in construction techniques at the local community college. She has designed and been involved in construction projects involving two of her own homes. One of her hobbies it that of building massive southwest wood doors. She has also been a consultant to several construction firms. Beyond this book, Ms. Hess-Kosa is credited with several other technical books. They include Environmental Sampling for Unknowns, Indoor Air Quality: Sampling Methodologies (2nd edition), Environmental Site Assessment Phase I: A Basic Guide (2nd edition), An Environmental Health and Safety Auditing Made Easy, A Checklist Approach for Industry, Indoor Air Quality: The Latest Sampling and Analytical Methods. Ms. Hess-Kosa is an active outdoor enthusiast and world traveler, photographer, and avid reader of adventure novels. Life is full of challenges!

"Dr. Hess-Kosa’s book provides…a searchlight of clear, expert information that guides the reader through natural and synthetic building materials, their uses, properties, emissions, and risks. This book is an heir to Rachel Carlson (Silent Spring) and Theo Colborn (Our Stolen Future) but with a new turn: from building foundation to chimney top the author describes hundreds of classes and specific building materials, explaining their potential hazards. Everyone who builds, renovates, enters, works in or lives in buildings, as well as anyone who studies the safety of the building environment will find this work invaluable." —Daniel Friedman, InspectApedia.com, Poughkeepsie New York, USA"This would be an excellent resource for anyone concerned about exposure to chemicals released from building materials (including furnishings and even consumer products). This includes architects, contactors, health professionals and building managers. Also building office occupants themselves and homeowners who are exposed daily to the indoor environment. The general public and responders such as firefighters are exposed to smoke and fumes emitted from building materials in case of fires and would find information presented in this book invaluable." — Charles S. Jamison, The University of Texas at Austin, USA

• ContentsPreface.................................................................................................................... xiiiAcknowledgments.................................................................................................xvAuthor................................................................................................................... xviiSection I All Things Considered1. Building Material Components: Old and New, Natural andSynthetic............................................................................................................3Natural Building Products..............................................................................4Asbestos.........................................................................................................5Lead................................................................................................................7Crystalline Silica..........................................................................................8Non-Emission Toxins..................................................................................9Plastics’ Most Notorious..................................................................................9Formaldehyde............................................................................................. 10Modern Building Materials........................................................................... 11Summary.......................................................................................................... 12References........................................................................................................ 132. Product Emissions and Evolution of Indoor Air Pollution................... 15Evolution of Public Awareness......