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| What is Indoor airPLUS? | |||
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EPA created
Indoor airPLUS to help builders meet the growing consumer
preference for homes with improved indoor air quality. EPA
developed additional construction specifications to help
improve indoor air quality in new homes.
Construction
specifications include the careful selection of and
installation of moisture control systems; heating,
ventilating, and air-conditioning systems;
combustion-venting systems; radon resistant construction;
and low-emitting building materials. Ask about the Indoor
airPLUS qualification for your next new home. Read EPA's
Indoor airPLUS Better Environments Inside and Out
(PDF,
5 pp, 807KB, About PDF)
How Does a New Home Become
Indoor airPLUS Qualified?
A builder
must first design a home to earn the ENERGY STAR label — the
government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. The result
is a home that is significantly more energy efficient than a
home built to minimum code, helping reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
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To earn the
Indoor airPLUS label, the builder then adds up to 30 home
design and construction features to help protect qualified
homes from moisture and mold, pests, combustion gases, and
other airborne pollutants. Before the home officially earns
the Indoor airPLUS label, it is inspected by an independent
third-party to ensure compliance with EPA’s rigorous
guidelines and specifications.
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| Indoor airPLUS Features | |||
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Builders can
use a variety of construction practices and technologies to
reduce indoor air pollutants and improve the indoor air
quality in your new home.
Moisture Control Moisture leads to mold and other biological pollutants that can cause health problems.
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| Indoor airPLUS Advantages | |||
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Indoor
airPLUS qualified homes have numerous highlights:
Improved Indoor Air Quality
More than 30
additional design and construction features are included in
Indoor airPLUS homes to help protect you against moisture
and mold, pests, combustion gases, radon, and other airborne
pollutants in your home.
Minimize Pollutants
Moisture and
pest control, among other things, can help protect your
family by eliminating common allergens from entering the
home, such as mold and pest residue. Your builder will
provide a first line defense against pests like cockroaches
and rodents, by fully sealing, caulking, or screening where
pests enter your home.
Improve Comfort
Your Indoor airPLUS home can provide a more comfortable living environment because it includes properly engineered HVAC system sizing, improved duct and equipment installation, improved filtration, and whole-house and spot ventilation to dilute and remove indoor pollutants. Protect Against Combustion Pollutants The home provides protection from potential exposure to combustion pollutants by the installation of heating equipment that cannot spill combustion gases inside the home and preventing pollutants in the garage from entering your house. Also, carbon monoxide alarms are in all sleeping areas. Home Maintenance After purchasing a home with the EPA Indoor airPLUS, you’ll receive a manual explaining your home’s indoor air quality features and how to operate your home to continue minimizing the risk of indoor air quality problems. In addition, your home will have a label as proof that it was built to the high indoor air quality specifications if you resell the home. Energy Efficient All Indoor airPLUS homes must first earn the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR qualified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating thereby reducing your contribution to climate change. |
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| Water efficiency is the long-term ethic of saving water resources through the employment of water-saving technologies and activities. Using water efficiently will help ensure supplies for future generations. Use the following links to learn how simple and smart it can be to save water. Why Is Saving Water Important? Across the country, our growing population is putting stress on available water supplies. Between 1950 and 2000, the U.S. population nearly doubled while the public demand for water more than tripled! Americans now use an average of 100 gallons of water each day—enough to fill 1,600 drinking glasses! This increased demand has put additional stress on water supplies and distribution systems, threatening both human health and the environment. | |
| There's a reason that water has become a national priority. A recent government survey showed at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013. But by using water more efficiently, we can help preserve water supplies for future generations, save money, and protect the environment. WaterSense is making it easier to identify water-efficient products and practices. Watch two short videos to learn a little more about the daily impact your water use can have and how small actions can have a big impact. |
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Equal Housing Opportunity