Earlier this year I was approached by
a couple in the organic baby food
business. Naturally (pardon the pun)
they wanted to build a "nontoxic"
house. The job didn't go beyond preliminary
design, but it got my interest
aroused. So when The Healthy House
by John Bower arrived I was anxious
to dig in.
Bower's wife is apparently "severely
sensitive" to some household contaminants,
which led to their building a
superinsulated, steel-framed and -
roofed, aluminum-sided home for
themselves. Despite extensive
research and precautions, they still
were prevented from moving in for
three months by interior paint fumes
that outgassed to a degree that affected
Ms. Bower.
Bower covers the gamut of indoor
air quality, from general strategy
(eliminate, separate, ventilate) and
the