Modern home materials: Good for you, good for the earth

At Clarum, we believe your home should be comfortable, beautiful, easy to maintain – and above all, create a healthy environment for you and your family. And it makes sense: the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. Because of this, it’s key to pay attention to the health and sustainability factors of materials and construction practices when building your modern home.

Where a home’s materials are sourced from is important, as well as the manufacturing methods of the products. When our team at Clarum selects home building materials, we consider questions such as: are the materials harvested in a way that endangers species or threatens communities? Are they non-toxic for the occupants? Do they require large amounts of non-renewable energy to manufacture?

One of our values is to create healthy environments: we’re committed to building healthy homes that have superior indoor air quality, don’t use toxic contaminants, and are continuously-circulating fresh air. Read more about how healthy building materials are good for your health—and also, often good for the earth!

Utilizing wholesome building materials

It’s an unfortunate fact that most construction today outputs chemicals and toxins that pollute indoor air quality and negatively impact short- and long-term health. Immediate effects of exposure to indoor pollutants include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or after long or repeated periods of exposure.

At Clarum Homes, we strive to transform the way custom homes are built. This means using ecologically-friendly and recycled materials, as well as environmentally-sensitive planning. Here are some of the features that make our passive homes healthy and sustainable:

• Solar-power system: produces electricity from the sun, and reduces carbon footprint
• Engineered lumber
• Recycled decking material
• Eco-flooring: sustainably-harvested and reclaimed wood floors
• Eco-cabinets: Formaldehyde-free construction
• Environmentally-friendly, low VOC paint
• Drought Tolerant Landscaping: Conserves water

As you can see, sustainable materials aren’t solely focused on saving our planet—they also present opportunities for healthy options for homeowners.

Find a homebuilder dedicated to healthy materials

With this information in mind, it’s important to ask, “How do you ensure my home is healthy and eco-friendly?” when selecting your modern homebuilder.

While it may not be top-of-mind in your entire process, this truly is an important question. Because you are investing in a structure in which you (and your family) will be spending long periods of time, it’s critical that your environment is as healthy as possible.

Ensuring healthy materials from floor to ceiling

If you want a healthy, eco-friendly home, make that clear from the moment you first interview a home builder. At Clarum, we eliminate toxic chemicals used in the building process by:

• Ensuring that there is zero-added formaldehyde to any of the building materials.
• Carefully reviewing the Green Guard rating of all the glues, caulks, paints, and carpets that go into the passive homes we build.
• Incorporating ecologically-responsible building materials.
• Implementing recovery ventilation. Clarum uses a high-efficiency HRV that continuously brings in fresh air and exhausts old air.
• Paying very close attention to the home’s moisture control systems, pest management, HVAC, combustion venting systems, and building materials.

Our attention to these details means a home that has less dust, lower pollutants, and is more comfortable and healthier for you and your family.

Flooring materials: An important choice for conscientious homebuilders

One of the most important areas of your home to pay attention to when it comes to healthy materials is your flooring. Because it covers so much ground, your flooring has a significant impact on the health of your environment. Plus, many healthy flooring options are also sustainable and eco-friendly.

The flooring we use is non-toxic and environmentally responsible. It reduces your exposure to allergens, and involves minimal off-gassing. The result? Healthy floors, and superior air quality. Read about a few guilt-free flooring options below:

• Sustainable Hardwood. Hardwood is a natural, highly healthy choice. When paired with low-emission adhesives and natural sealants, it reduces dust, resists build-up, and doesn’t off-gas. At Clarum, we’re proud to use wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, ensuring a sustainable history for your floors, and a healthy future in your home.
• Bamboo Flooring. Bamboo naturally wards off pests and moisture. Paired with a low-VOC finish, it meets strict air quality standards and doesn’t off-gas. It’s also fast-growing and renewable. We source our bamboo from sustainably managed forests. Bamboo floors are a healthy, long-lasting, low-maintenance choice.
• Cork Flooring. Cork is anti-allergenic (it doesn’t hold onto pollen or dander when you vacuum), and resistant to pests, mold, fire and rot. With no toxic fumes, off-gassing or shedding, cork flooring contributes to good indoor air quality. It’s a unique, warm and durable choice, harvested sustainably without harming the tree.
• Recycled Content Carpet. While smooth flooring is considered healthy because it’s easy to clean, carpet can also support your health. By filtering allergens out of the air, it keeps them from recirculating with proper cleaning. At Clarum, our recycled content carpet supports not only your health, but the health of the environment too. Created from recycled plastic bottles, it conserves resources, minimizing your home’s embodied energy.

Ensure a healthy environment—in your modern home and beyond

Investing in healthy materials today will pay off for you and the planet in the years to come. Ask your homebuilder about healthy materials and practices in the building process to get the conversation started!

Want to learn more about how Clarum can help you build the sustainable home of your dreams? Give us a call at 650.322.7069