Healthy Buildings II (Building Environment & Health)

Develops skills to evaluate, describe and explain how physical characteristics of a building and its surrounds have an impact upon human health. This course builds on Healthy Buildings I, but can also stand alone as it covers such topics as impact and the macro-environment. The course covers how weather systems and garden design influences the internal environment of a house, health aspects of different furnishings, paints, pesticides and chemicals (and alternatives), alternative methods of pest control, managing building surrounds and interior environments.

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. Environmental Impacts On Buildings
2. Chemicals
3. Building Surrounds
4. Furnishings
5. Finishes
6. Pesticides & Alternatives
7. Managing Interior Environments
8. Consulting

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school\'s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

* Explain the impact of the macro-environment (location) on health.
* Explain the impact of building surrounds, including a garden, on the interior environmental conditions.
* Choose interior furnishings which are not likely to damage human health.
* Explain the health implications of using different types of finishes, including sealers, paints, preservatives and stains.
* Explain the health implications of using alternative methods of pest control inside buildings.
* Plan health conscious management systems of interior environments.

What You Will Do

* Explain how proximity to different bodies of water can affect human health, including: *Sea/Ocean *Freshwater lakes *A river *Ground water.
* Explain how different aspects of prevailing weather patterns may influence house design in different regions, including: *temperature *rainfall *winds *day length.
* Explain in a summary, how proximity to electromagnetic radiation may impact on health.
* Explain in a summary, how proximity to different types of pollution can impact on health inside a dwelling.
* Compare the impact of different garden treatments upon temperature inside buildings, including: -tall trees -lawn -paving -mulched surfaces -climbers on walls.
* Explain how different garden design decisions can affect ventilation in a house, including: *earth shaping *planting *constructions *water features.
* Compare the affect different garden components on light inside a building, including: *Plant types *How plants are grouped *Walls *Topography *Pergolas.
* Explain how the visual characteristics of two different gardens influence the inside environment of a building.
* Analyse two different gardens for the impact they have on buildings they surround.
* Compare health aspects of different materials used for furnishings including: -metals -plastics -timbers -upholstery -curtains.
* Compare health aspects of different floor coverings including: -tiles -carpets -vinyl -cork -slate -timber.
* Explain health aspects of different electrical appliances including: -televisions -computers -refrigerators -microwaves -heaters -air conditioners -ovens.
* Evaluate the furnishings in a building inspected by the learner, to determine recommended changes to improve building habitability.
* Compare the health affects of different types of finishes including: sealers, paints, stains, preservatives and varnishes.
* Compile a resource directory of ten sources of healthy alternatives to traditional finishes.
* Describe the characteristics of three different specific products which are healthy alternatives to traditional paints and finishes.
* Explain the toxic affects of ten different pesticides commonly used in buildings, both during and after construction.
* List alternative "healthier" methods of controlling pests in buildings, including: -rodents -ants -termites -flies -cockroaches.
* Develop a detailed pest control strategy for a building, in the learners locality, which includes: -structural treatments during and post construction
o -preventative measures for anticipated problems
o -eradication measures for existing problems.
* Explain issues of building usage which can impact on health with respect to different factors including: -number of people -electricity -windows and doors -cooking -smoking -curtains -hygiene.
* Analyse the way two specific buildings including a home and a workplace are used; to determine health risk factors in that use.
* Recommend guidelines to the way in which different buildings, including an office, and a workplace, are used, to minimise negative impacts upon health.