Building Materials and Human Health

Course Overview

This course is an exploration of the impact of building materials on human health, society, and the environment. You learn about toxic exposure and the way toxic chemicals enter the human body. Finally, you consider vulnerabilities in communities and methods for making healthier material choices. This course covers a wide range of toxics and health concerns. It is designed to give you a basic understanding of healthier materials as context within the Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building specialization. This course is intended for anyone, but experience in design, architecture, or a similar field will be beneficial. By the end of this course, you’ll be able to: • Assess the human health impact of toxic chemicals in building materials • Evaluate the health impact of building materials using current methods and resources • Apply strategies for reducing the health and environmental impacts of building materials throughout their life cycles