Ken Geiser on Safer Building Materials

In a revealing lecture hosted by Parsons Healthy Materials Lab and Building Product Ecosystems, Professor Emeritus at University of Massachusetts Lowell Ken Geiser spoke on building materials in relation to his new book Chemicals Without Harm: Policies for a Sustainable World.

The book takes a sweeping approach examining chemicals found in nearly all US manufacturing supply chains, building products being just one of them. Nevertheless, Geiser noted early in the lecture—to an audience comprised of many Parsons design students—that he started off as an architect. “I have a soft place in my heart for design,” he said.

The lecture was titled “Safer Building Materials”, and he spoke on various chemicals commonly found in buildings that pose threats to those who occupy them. These chemicals, such as formaldehyde and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), are “used ubiquitously in the building industry,” and can cause long term health problems. He explained the process of these building chemicals showing up in the air of those buildings, and in turn showing up in the occupants of those buildings.

But Geiser’s lecture wasn’t simply about which nasty chemicals to avoid. In a Science Magazine review of Chemicals Without Harm, Megan R. Schwarzman said, “optimism and possibility run so continuously through the book that if it were a song, its refrain might be ‘We can do it.’” And this was true for the lecture, as well. Geiser spoke hopefully of a industry pushed in a healthy direction by consumers, saying we shouldn’t just try to shop well, “but force the system to move toward safer chemicals.”

And this is working already, according to Geiser, who spoke of Nike phasing out PVC in its products, Johnson & Johnson phasing out formaldehyde, and large retail corporations such as Wal-Mart and Target drawing up lists of chemicals to avoid. Even though government is not regulating companies, many of them are stepping up to consumer pressure and making changes.

Instead, he said, you’re going to find one that’s better than the last.

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