Creating Healthy Homes

1
Creating Healthy Homes

• Emily Williams, Director
• HUDs Healthy Homes Division
• SC/NC Energy Conference
• April 5 and 6, 2006

2
Relationship of Housing and Health

• Indoor time 90
• Time at home 65
• Indoor pollution levels versus outdoor levels

3
Stakeholders

• Federal partners
• HUD, EPA, CDC, USDA, DOE
• Health Departments
• Private sector
• Construction industry
• Inspection industry
• Mortgage industry
• Insurance industry

4
Mission of OHHLHC

• Eliminate lead-based paint hazards and other
  housing-related health and safety hazards that
  pose threats to residents, particularly children,
  in low-income families.
• HUDs strategic goal of decent, safe and
  affordable housing.

5
Historical Perspective

• Congressional Directive
• 1998 Preliminary Plan

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HHI Preliminary Plan

• Reduction in Excessive Moisture
• Dust Control
• Improvements in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
• Education/Outreach

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Excessive Moisture

• Supports fungal growth
• Increases levels of allergens (dust mites,
  cockroaches, mold)
• Links between moisture and asthma risk factor
  for other respiratory illness
• Deterioration of lead-based paint

8
Dust Control

• Primary exposure source
• Particles adhere to soil and are tracked in
• Lead
• Pesticides
• Volatile Organics
• Use of entry-way mats

9
Indoor Air Quality

• Carbon monoxide
• Combustion products/particulates
• Bioaerosols
• Radon
• Importance of ventilation

10
Education/Outreach

• General awareness of HH Issues
• Community/individual
• Health Fairs
• One-on-one home visits
• Capacity Building -- Training
• Cultural appropriateness
• Websites

11
Implementation

• Grants and cooperative agreements
• Healthy Homes Demonstration Program
• Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program
• 74 awards to date
• Approximately 58 Million awarded
• Interagency Agreements
• Contracts

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Healthy Homes Demonstration Program

• Develop and demonstrate methods for identifying
  and correcting health and safety hazards
• Holistic approach -- Multiple hazards
• Cost-effective methods
• Reducing threats to maximum number of residents,
  particularly children in low-income families.
• Education/outreach to individuals and communities

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Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program

• Improve methods for detecting and and controlling
  housing-related health and safety hazards

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Geographic Distribution of Healthy Homes
Initiative Grantees
DC
Alaska
Hawaii

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Tuskegee Healthy House
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Tuskegee Healthy House

• DOEs Building America Program
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Bowers principles
• Eliminate toxic materials
• Separate unhealthy materials from enclosed living
  spaces
• Ventilate the living space with fresh air

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Tuskegee Healthy House

• Balance
• Healthy IAQ
• Energy Efficiency
• Affordability
• American Lung Association Guidelines
• Clean Air Florida Homes

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Tuskegee Healthy House

• 800 Square feet
• Well-graded
• Above-ground crawlspace
• Green building products

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Healthy IAQ

• Construction materials
• Composite floors versus carpet or vinyl flooring
• Solid hardwood kitchen cabinets
• Low VOC caulking materials
• VOC-free paints
• No vinyl wall coverings

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Healthy IAQ

• Methods/equipment
• Filtered fresh air ventilation system
• Sealed attic and crawlspace
• Grading
• Landscaping with considerations for pollen
• No combustion equipment all electric appliances

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Energy Efficiency

• Totally electric
• Centrally located heat pump
• Ducts in conditioned space
• Monthly electric bill
• 32.00 40.00
• Filtered air ventilation system
• Approximately 8 to 10 increase

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Affordability

• 30,000 - 35,000
• Conventional financing by individual with an
  income of 12,000/year
• Modest size 768 enclosed square feet
• 2 bedrooms
• 1 bath
• Kitchen/dining area
• Living room
• Utility space

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Interior Furnishings

• USDA Interagency Agreement
• Auburn University
• Budget -- 3,000
• Healthy and environmentally friendly
• Consideration for an asthmatic child

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Conclusions

• Healthy
• Green building products
• IAQ measurements
• Particulates
• VOCs, CO2
• Relative humidity
• Energy Efficient
• Air tightness
• Energy consumption
• Filtered fresh air ventilation system controls
• Affordable

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Future Directions

• Healthy, Energy Efficient and Affordable Homes
• Creating a computerized Healthy Homes Energy
  Efficient Assessment tool

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• Dreams begin in Healthy Homes.
• ___ Ken Dillon

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Contact Information

• Emily Williams
• Director, Healthy Homes Division
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
• Outstationed in Greensboro, NC
• 336-547-4002, ext. 2067
• Emily_E._Williams_at_hud.gov