Resources
Healthy building material guides and services, books about healthier homes, and databases of healthcare providers.
Healthier Building Materials
I defer expertise on countertops, insulation, pipes, flooring, and other building materials to people and institutions focused on healthy architecture.
a/A Architecture
Free, detailed, and easy-to-use guide from an architecture firm focused on using healthy, conscious, and durable materials. Stricter standards set for human health, and wider range of material options, than other guides.
Informed
Free, easy-to-use, lists ranked from healthiest to least healthy for each category of building materials. Can upgrade to professional-level Pharos database for more specific products with chemical hazard information.
Architect and founder Ana Koleva Miller, RA, NCARB, Fitwel Amb, has 20 years of experience in healthy architecture, and offers a variety of in-person and virtual consults helping you create | acquire | design a toxin-free healthy home.
Parsons Healthy Materials Lab
Another great starting point for general guidance across several categories of building materials, with a clear focus on human health impact.
Books
Healthy Design and Architecture
The books I've read, enjoyed, and found useful in learning about both material health and the more "woo-woo" side of holistic design.
Non-fiction books that read like fiction, each about how our invisible environment affects our health in very visible ways.
Anxiety, Risk, and How to Think About Toxic Exposures
There is so much information about non-toxic lifestyle available, and a lot of it is conflicting. Books about making decisions about what to believe, how much to fear, and how to release any unnecessary anxiety.
DIY care and cleaning for a healthier home.
Healthcare Providers
Dr. Crista is a mold expert who has a database of providers that have completed her mold certificate course. This is a great way to find a provider that can help you if you’re wondering if mold is contributing to your health issues.
Environmental Medicine Doctors
The National Association of Environmental Medicine is a group of providers that incorporate the role of the environment into their practice. Their database is a great resource for finding a practitioner to work with— be sure to search for providers in two ways— first, by your full state name and second, by its initials— for example, both “Oregon” and “OR.” This method can bring up more results.