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title: "Indoor Air Quality and Building Materials | AVANORTH"
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AVANORTH Home
**Green Building**·January 27, 2026· 4 min read
# **Indoor Air Quality: How Building Materials Affect Your Health**
The materials used in your building directly impact the air you breathe indoors. Learn about VOCs, off-gassing, and how to choose healthier building products.
**AVANORTH Team**
AVANORTH Construction
## We Spend 90 Percent of Our Time Indoors
Canadians spend approximately 90 percent of their time inside buildings. The quality of the air in those buildings has a direct impact on health, comfort, and productivity. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is affected by ventilation rates, humidity levels, particulate matter, biological contaminants, and chemical emissions from building materials and furnishings.
Of these factors, chemical emissions from building materials are among the most controllable at the design and construction stage. Making informed material choices during construction is one of the most effective ways to ensure healthy indoor air for years to come.
## What Are VOCs?
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that evaporate at room temperature and are released into the air. In buildings, the major sources of VOCs include:
- **Paints and coatings:** Conventional paints can emit formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and other VOCs for weeks or months after application. Low-VOC and zero-VOC paints are now widely available and perform as well as conventional products.
- **Adhesives and sealants:** Carpet adhesives, tile mastic, and construction sealants are significant VOC sources. Water-based and low-VOC alternatives exist for virtually every application.
- **Composite wood products:** Plywood, particleboard, and medium-density fibreboard (MDF) use formaldehyde-based adhesives that off-gas for years. Products meeting CARB Phase 2 or NAF (no added formaldehyde) standards significantly reduce this exposure.
- **Flooring:** Vinyl flooring can release phthalates and other chemicals. Carpet can trap dust and release VOCs from backing materials. Natural materials (hardwood, tile, stone) generally have the lowest emissions.
- **Insulation:** Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) must be properly mixed and cured to avoid isocyanate off-gassing. Mineral wool and cellulose insulation generally have low emissions.
## Formaldehyde: The Most Common Indoor Pollutant
Formaldehyde is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In new buildings, the primary sources are composite wood products and some insulation materials. Health Canada's residential indoor air quality guideline recommends keeping formaldehyde levels below 50 micrograms per cubic metre (short-term) and 40 micrograms per cubic metre (long-term).
Reducing formaldehyde exposure in new construction:
- Specify plywood with phenol-formaldehyde (PF) adhesive rather than urea-formaldehyde (UF). PF products emit significantly less formaldehyde.
- Use solid wood, metal, or glass shelving instead of particleboard
- Install kitchen and bathroom exhaust ventilation that vents directly outdoors
- Ensure adequate whole-building ventilation during and after construction
## The Role of Ventilation
Even with low-emission materials, buildings need adequate ventilation to maintain good IAQ. Modern buildings are built tighter than ever for energy efficiency, which means mechanical ventilation is essential:
- **HRV/ERV systems:** Heat recovery ventilators (HRV) and energy recovery ventilators (ERV) provide continuous fresh air while recovering heat from exhaust air. Required by code in most new residential construction in Ontario.
- **Spot ventilation:** Kitchen range hoods and bathroom exhaust fans remove moisture and pollutants at their source. Range hoods should vent outdoors, not recirculate through charcoal filters.
- **Construction flush-out:** After construction is complete but before occupancy, running the ventilation system continuously for several days helps remove accumulated VOCs from new materials. LEED and WELL building standards require either a 14-day flush-out or IAQ testing before occupancy.
## Certifications to Look For
Several third-party certifications help builders and homeowners identify healthier products:
- **GREENGUARD Gold:** Products certified for low chemical emissions for use in schools and healthcare facilities
- **FloorScore:** Certification for hard surface flooring and adhesives
- **CARB Phase 2 compliant:** Composite wood products meeting California Air Resources Board emission standards
- **Red List Free:** Products free from the International Living Future Institute's list of worst-in-class materials and chemicals
## Practical Recommendations
For builders and homeowners wanting to improve indoor air quality:
- Choose low-VOC or zero-VOC paints, adhesives, and sealants for all interior applications
- Specify CARB Phase 2 or NAF composite wood products throughout the building
- Install continuous mechanical ventilation (HRV or ERV) sized to meet ASHRAE 62.2 ventilation rates
- Use hard-surface flooring where possible, especially in bedrooms and living areas
- Allow new materials to off-gas in a ventilated area before installation when practical
At AVANORTH, we pay attention to the materials that go into every building we construct. Choosing healthier materials does not necessarily increase cost, but it meaningfully improves the indoor environment for the people who live and work in the spaces we build.
#air-quality #health #materials
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