ASBP 10th Annual Healthy Buildings Conference

The 10th Annual Healthy Buildings Conference, hosted by the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, was more than just a milestone event, it was a timely reminder that the built environment sits at the intersection of products, people and planet.

Held at 150 Holborn, the venue itself embodied the conference ethos. Designed with ambitious sustainability credentials, the building is targeting BREEAM Outstanding, LEED Platinum, SKA Gold and SmartScore Platinum. It replaces a 1980s office block, and its demolition report revealed that 97% of potential waste was reused or diverted to recycling facilities. Being immersed in a space that actively strives to reduce its environmental footprint made the day’s conversations feel tangible rather than theoretical. The setting reinforced a central message: sustainable development is achievable when intent is matched with action.

The day commenced with a sobering keynote from Sir Stephen Holgate, authoring a report which responds to the health challenges of modern air pollution, with air pollution emerging as a leading global health risk. Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has shown that 99% of the global population breath air that exceeds WHO guideline limits. Air pollution is harmful to all, but disproportionately affects the most vulnerable members of society. Across the world, the built environment is responsible for producing both indoor and outdoor air pollution both during construction and operation. The impacts of the built environment on air pollution need to be recognised in order to reduce impact on human health and the natural environment.

This theme of material responsibility continued with Martha Lewis of Henning Larsen reviewing per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’. Within the research she stated “PFAS are generally persistent in the environment, can be mobile and many do not degrade, and as a result have been detected at levels of concern in groundwater, surface water, soil and wildlife.”. There needs to be an awareness of the materials we specify and be critical of materials with a specific function such as sealants, adhesives and waterproof qualities as they tend to (but not always) contain PFAS. Lewis’ presentation was a call to scrutinise the hidden impacts of what we specify, reminding us that performance should never come at the expense of long-term environmental and human health.

Other talks broadened the conversation. Natural paint specialist Edward Bulmer discussed the value of breathable, toxin-free finishes, while researchers from the University of York introduced INTERIORS (INTERdisciplinary Facility for IndOoR Air Quality ReSearch), an innovative indoor air testing facility. Comprising two houses flanking an air sampling laboratory (one built to Passivhaus standards and the other to 1990s regulations) the facility mirrors the contrast between modern best practice and much of today’s existing housing stock. This research has the potential to reshape how we understand domestic air quality and influence how homes of the future are designed and retrofitted.

What stood out most throughout the conference was the recurring challenge to complacency. Too often, labels such as “high performing” or “sustainable” are accepted at face value. As Simon Jones of the Air Quality Matters podcast concluded, just because a building is described as high performing does not mean it truly is. That statement encapsulated the day’s underlying message: verification, transparency and critical thinking are essential.

The conference was thought-provoking not simply because of the data presented, but because of the responsibility it placed squarely on those shaping the built environment. Designers, specifiers and manufacturers have immense influence. The materials we choose, the standards we pursue and the questions we ask directly affect both planetary and human health.