Take a Whole-Structure Approach to Improve Interior Air Quality in Steel Buildings
There are a whole host of sources that pollute your home, from combustion systems and cleaning products, to pesticides, health and beauty products and even the building materials you use to trim the building's interior. Unless you build using low-VOC products (such as steel), your carpets, paints, finishes and other furnishings emit low levels of the chemicals used to make them (like formaldehyde, benzene, methane and ammonia - just for starters).
This process is called off-gassing and, over time, can lead to serious indoor pollution. And then there is the indoor pollution caused by allergens, like mold and mildew spores, pollens, dust mites, and so on. That's a powerful mix of pollutants, but they can all be significantly mitigated or eliminated when you keep indoor air quality as a focus during your building's design process.
SPX buildings are sealed from the outside, are extremely airtight and will not support mould growth or emit chemical offgassing. We require mechanical ventilation to bring in fresh air into the building in controlled amounts and exhaust moisture laden and stale air to the outside.
SPX homes allow for all incoming air to be filtered for allergens and dehumidified, creating better indoor air quality. Proper ventilation is important in all homes to preserve indoor air quality.
The airtightness of the SPX building envelope prevents air from gaining access to the interior of the home except in controlled amounts. A controlled indoor environment is both healthy and comfortable. Humidity can be controlled more easily in a SIP home, resulting in a home that is more comfortable for occupants and less prone to mold growth and dust mites.
Unlike wood, SIPS or ICF building systems, SPX is manufactured from steel which does not contribute any chemical contaminant off-gassing to the interior environment. Air contaminants are pollutants that are present in the air and can put your health at risk. Traditional building materials can emit chemical pollutants such as gases, vapours and particles like formaldehyde, mould spores, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and dust or particles (particulate matter).
