One of the outcomes of building to the Passive House standard is superior air quality. The combination of air-tight construction and mechanical ventilation ensures that fresh air is in constant supply. However, with air-tight construction also comes the responsibility to prevent the introduction of materials that will emit harmful gases into a controlled space. The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a threat to indoor air quality in any construction — airtight or not. However, it is of greater concern in a Passive House, where the air changes per hour are significant less than that of a building built only to code.
When specifying the materials that will be used in the construction or in the interior of a space, it is important to have accurate data concerning the chemicals that will off-gas. To aid in this process, Pharos has introduced a new feature in the Pharos Project called CompAIR that provides accurate and reliable comparisons of the chemical offgassing from paints, coatings and similar products. CompAIR calculates the weight of all volatile substances released into the air during application and curing of a product. By inputting a few data points into the calculator, CompAIR shows how products stack up, side by side.
You can see CompAIR in action at the 2015 Greenbuild Expo in Washington DC November 18th and 19th by visiting Healthy Building Network (HBN) at Booth #2622.
Read all the details about CompAIR & its appearance at Greenbuild here on Healthy Building Network.