permaculture

[Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>]

At 04:01 AM 11/14/02 -0500, you wrote:

> I may be living in a brand-new conventionally built house next year that
> will be chock full of off-gassing toxins....
>
> What can one do to alleviate that problem ?

look into an air to air heat exchanger.  This allows the house to change 
the air inside without substantial loss of heating or cooling.

> Do air-filters/purifiers help?

Most take out particulates, some generate ozone (kills bacteria).  I don't 
think they do much for VOC's

>  What ae the chief culprits ( carpets/cabinets?)

carpets, adhesives, some finishes.

> Are there alternative glues/materials that you could recommend?

Look for low VOC labeling, try to get material safety data sheets on the 
materials to be used.  This is a comprehensive document of hazards 
associated with any given product.

> Also, is there a way to lessen electro-magnetic radiation within a hi-tech
> "wired" house ?

Wire the house using the 4 wire delta design.  This should eliminate almost 
all rogue electricity in the place.  Used commonly in hospitals and dairy 
farms for this reason.

> The house will go up next Spring so there's still time to substitute
> things...
>
> Thanks....
>
> Claude
>
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Mark P. Ludwig
Poultry Research Lab
University of Wisconsin -Madison
608-262-1730 WK
608-846-7125 HM