Healthy Buildings Insights Blog Posts


Here you will find the latest research and insights from the Healthy Buildings team. Our blog cover a wide range of topics, from innovative solutions in building design to the impact of air quality on public health. Stay informed with expert commentary, case studies, and the latest trends in creating healthier indoor environments.

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Mapping the Winds in Lahaina Blog

January 22, 2025– Healthy Buildings Blog


Climate
One Year After the Lahaina Wildfires: Update on our Research Blog

August 2, 2024– Healthy Buildings Blog


Climate Homes Indoor Air Quality Vulnerable Populations
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February 2, 2025
Climate

After wildfires, what distance are extra precautions a good idea to protect against smoke, soot, and ash exposures?

A question we’re hearing a lot is, “What distance from the burn area should you take extra precautions?” It’s a hard question because it isn’t possible to give a precise answer due to all of the uncertainty. However, we recognize that people need some guidance in the face of uncertainty, so we’re sharing how we […]
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January 29, 2025
Indoor Air Quality

3 Ways to Reduce Risk from Wildfire Smoke at Home

Urban wildfires, like those in the Bay Area (2020), Boulder (2021), Lahaina (2023), and L.A. (2025), bring a devastating loss of life, homes, schools, businesses, and community. Urban wildfires release a mix of pollutants that can impact lung health, brain health, heart health, and immune system health. The impacts extend far beyond the immediate fire […]
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January 22, 2025
Indoor Air Quality

Recommitting to Ventilation Standards for Healthy Indoor Air Quality

A Commentary by Dr. Joseph G. Allen in the American Journal of Public Health provides a historical perspective on the history of ventilation standards as told through the lens of public health and concludes with an urgent call for a return to health-focused targets. Key Insights “We are at a precipice. The World Health Organization […]
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January 22, 2025
Climate

Mapping the Winds in Lahaina

The 2023 Maui Wildfires serve as a powerful reminder of the devastation that such events can inflict on communities. Beyond the immediate destruction of homes and landscapes, wildfires release harmful pollutants into the air, posing serious health risks that can persist long after the flames are extinguished. Understanding how air pollutants spread is crucial for […]
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July 19, 2022
Climate

CoBE Cast Study: Mixed-Use Building Retrofit and BPS Compliance

Our first fictional use case concerns a Boston building owner who manages a four-story commercial building, consisting of apartments, offices, a bank, and a grocery store. This building owner is interested in retrofitting her building, particularly in HVAC and boiler technology upgrades. She would like to evaluate the reduction in energy use and emissions that […]
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February 27, 2023
Climate

CoBE Case Study: Counterfactual Impact of a Lighting Retrofit

In this fictional use case, the owner of a supermarket in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is interested in reducing his building’s energy costs. In addition, he is also concerned about the impact of his building’s energy use on climate change. In the United States, food sales buildings have the greatest amount of lit floor space of all […]
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June 12, 2024
Climate

CoBE Case Study: Modernizing School Heating with Ground-source Heat Pump

In this real-life use case, Hopkins Academy, a public middle and senior high school in Hadley, MA, is considering upgrading its aging oil-burning heating system to a ground-source heat pump to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. UndauntedK12, a non-profit organization advising K-12 public schools in the energy transition, applied the Co-Benefits of […]
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April 19, 2021
Materials

Hormonally-active dust?

New research from the Healthy Buildings team led by Dr. Anna Young found that indoor dust mimics sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone when it gets into our cells. Every day, we unknowingly breathe in and ingest dust that accumulates inside our buildings. In our study, we found that Human cells exposed to the dust samples […]
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