Healthier Homes for Healthier Kids

Asthma is the sixth-ranking chronic condition in Washington and the leading serious chronic illness of children in the U.S. In fact, a study by Harvard found that between 1980 and 1994, asthma among preschool children grew 160 percent – double the rate for the overall U.S. population.

To address this pressing health issue, Seattle Housing Authority teamed with the King County Health Department and the University of Washington’s Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Community Medicine to implement a long-range program designed to measure the effects of improved residential air quality, hoping to ultimately reduce the occurrence of asthma attacks in children. Thirty-five High Point homes were built to Breathe Easy standards and made available for rent to low-income families. These homes have special features to improve overall indoor air quality and reduce indoor air pollutants. Residents will take part in a study to link the new construction methods to incidents and severity of asthma attacks.

“Breathe Easy Homes represent nearly 10 percent of High Point rental homes, making it the largest and most comprehensive collection of Breathe Easy Homes in the country,” notes Brian Cloward, of Mithun, the architectural firm responsible for the homes’ design. “That’s a remarkable achievement.”

Some of the Breathe Easy healthy home features include:

Airtight construction, insulated windows and an insulated foundation, minimizing dust, pollen and other contaminants that can enter from outside.

Positive ventilation to remove stale air and filter incoming fresh air.

Hydronic, instead of forced-air heating, reducing airborne particles and organisms.

Hard flooring surfaces such as linoleum, replacing carpet that can trap dust and allergens.

Window blinds, instead of curtains, to reduce trapped dust.

Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) emitting paints and cabinetry materials, reducing potentially harmful chemicals in the air.

A HEPA filter vacuum, efficiently removing dust and other toxins and debris.

Landscaping designed to reduce seasonal pollens.

Residents were chosen by a process that assessed the severity of the children’s asthma. Participants volunteer to follow a lifestyle to ensure the highest possible air quality for the children, including no smoking, no pets, and restricting certain cleaning agents. Specialists work with the Breathe Easy families to remove home environmental pollutants. The families’ health and habits will continue to be monitored in their new homes.

As you tour High Point, you won’t be able to tell which homes are the Breathe Easy homes and which are not, which proves innovative, healthy homes can be created without sacrificing a timeless design.

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