Materials and especially finishes have a significant impact on the indoor environment. Often these are only assessed for VOC (volatile organic compounds), their carbon impact or recycled content. Manufacturers often do not provide full content declaration allowing designers to assess the potential health impacts.

This seminar will give an overview of the principles behind building biology compliant construction materials, how materials are assessed under this standard, common issues and challenges when sourcing materials and where reliable sources of information can be found. It will also focus on specification of internal finishes