In the world of modern construction, health often takes a backseat.

Step into the realm of creating sanctuaries where every corner of your home supports your well-being. Today, I'm diving deep into building biology, a paradigm that transcends conventional construction norms to weave together health, ecology, and architectural design.

In this episode, I unravel the tapestry of building biology principles from the ground up with Paula Baker-Laporte. From the foundation to the rooftop to home care and repair, a house built upon building biology principles takes modern toxins, non-native electricity, air, light, and other variables into account for a unique approach to healthy-house building, renovation, and maintenance, including considerations, such as:

• Frame construction alternatives
• Thermal, moisture, mold, and mycotoxin control
• Flooring and finishes
• Furnishings

Paula is an architect and building biologist living in Ashland, Oregon, specializing in health-enhancing and ecologically sound architectural design and consulting. She has extensive experience applying the principles of building biology to many forms of alternative construction, including light straw-clay adobe, straw-bale, pumice-crete, aerated autoclaved concrete, and wood-insulated concrete forms.

In her role as an architect and consultant, she has successfully assisted many people suffering from multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) in building healthy homes since 1995. She is the primary author of Prescriptions for a Healthy House, co-author with husband Robert Laporte of two books: Econest and The EcoNest Home, and contributing author to several other publications. In addition to writing Prescriptions for a Healthy House: A Practical Guide for Architects, Builders, and Homeowners, Paula penned The EcoNest Home: Designing and Building a Light Straw Clay House and EcoNest: Creating Sustainable Sanctuaries of Clay, Straw, and Timber. She has also been on the faculty of the University of Debrecen's Institute of Biology and Ecology (IBE) for over a decade, teaching IBE 213 and IBE 215, and has authored coursework for the Institute.

During our discussion, you'll discover:

• Paula Baker-Laporte — an architect and one of the few experts in the U.S. on the concepts of building biology
• Building biology is everything that goes into creating a healthy indoor and outdoor space
• Wrote the Bible on building biology: Prescriptions for a Healthy House: A Practical Guide for Architects, Builders and Homeowners
• Ben is using this book as he builds his new home in Idaho and gave a copy to his architect and builders
• EcoNest — Timber frame workshops
  • The EcoNest Home: Designing & Building a Light Straw Clay House

-What is building biology?…03:41

• After WWII, a lot of new chemicals were introduced into building products in Europe
• A multidisciplinary study on 25 basic principles for human health and the built environment
  • Nature is the gold standard for what is a healthy human environment
  • Building biology recommends the use of radiant heat
  • Mainstream green building usually rewards better-forced air heating
• Green building focuses on energy efficiency

-Why do some people feel bad in their homes?…09:21

• Very sensitive people will react to far lower levels of chemicals in the environment
• The green building movement is good at recognizing volatile organic compounds and ways to reduce them
• Semi-volatile organic compounds
  • Fire retardants
• Multiple chemical sensitivities testing
• DNA testing, urinary mold, and mycotoxin test
• Lowering the chemical load of any new construction is easy
• If there is already a chemical load, you can do a lot of things
  • Excellent air filtration devices
  • Specialty paints or clear varnishes for isolating or blocking

-The best heating and cooling device…16:26

• Air Doctor
• Many of the tools designed to bring fresh air into tight homes cannot handle environmental smoke
• Standalone filters are good
• AllerAir 
• MinotAir — A unit that combines heat pump technology, heat recovery, ventilation, dehumidification, and robust HEPA filtration
• The best way to set up radiant heat
• Hot water systems in walls like in Europe
• The masonry heating could be very massive

-Why are Europeans ahead of Americans in building biology?…22:32

• Europeans work with mass materials, Americans with paper-thin
• America developed different technologies
• Europe has the advantage of a lineage of craftsmanship
• The problem of a garage being attached to a house
• How to protect yourself from fumes and combustion?
  • Airtight everything between the house and garage
  • Specialty fans to periodically recycle the air in the garage
• The use of theatrical ice to get a visual of where the air is coming through

-What is geo-stress?…27:10

• Some places are better for living
  • Related to the concept of biogeometry
• Dr. Ibrahim Karim, the founder of BioGeometry
• Ben had a well-wisher at home to find a place for a well
  • Measure electromagnetic radiation with pendulums
• Podcasts with Brian Hoyer:
  • “The Intriguing Science Of Building Biology (Along With A Complete Analysis & Surprising Results From Ben Greenfield’s So-Called ‘Biohacked Home')”
  • “Hunting Down EMF In Your Office, Bedroom, Gym & Beyond: Is Your Home’s “Dirty Electricity” Wrecking Your Sleep, Your Recovery, Your Health & More? The Official Ben Greenfield & Brian Hoyer Low-EMF Home How-To.”
• Brian Hoyer measures all the sources of electricity, the AC current, the cell phone, tower exposure
• BioGeometry tools that you can put around the house that would minimize your exposure
• “Earth acupuncture”
• Ben’s experience with Paul Check’s home in San Diego
  • A zen-like place with the feeling of peace
  • His wife, Angie, is a biogeometry practitioner
• BioGeometry home kit — follow the directions on the site (get free shipping on orders over $60 with code: BEN)
• Podcasts with Paul Chek:
  • “BioGeometry Protection Of Your Home, Plant Medicine, Parenting, Stacking Rocks, Stages Of Human Consciousness & More With Paul Chek.”

-Is it expensive to build a home using building biology?…36:15

• Some things are cheap, like detaching the garage
• Some are more expensive, like the wall system (could go 10% of the cost of the house)
• Overall, it can be expensive, from 0–25%, depending on your starting point
• Ben has calculated an added 15% to the cost of construction

-Why is a healthy wall system the building biology ideal?…39:21

• Your skin acts as a barrier between your organs and the environment
• Your second skin is your clothing
  • You wouldn’t choose plastic to wear
• How Americans build in this country is equivalent to having your kids go play in a plastic bag
• The building biology ideal is having a wall system that doesn't require a vapor barrier because it's transparent to moisture
  • “Hygric Buffer Capacity — Moisture Control for Buildings” by Joseph Lstiburek
• Clay is light years ahead of other products in terms of its ability to take on moisture and give it off
  • Materials that can handle moisture don't have condensation problems and mold buildup
• An airtight vapor transparent wall is what you should strive for

-How easy is it in the U.S. to use things like clay, brick, and earth?…43:58

• There is a tradition of adobe building in Santa Fe
• Many natural materials got into the International Residential Code
• Masonry systems, more common in Europe, are acceptable

-Can wood still be used?…45:55

• 95% of residential buildings use wood frame
• Wood frame construction is becoming better
• The best type of wood is local wood
• Wood allergies
  • People sensitized to pine terpenes
  • People sensitized to chemicals are also sensitized to terpenes
• Prescriptions for a Healthy House by Paula Baker Laporte

-What are the biggest sources of dirty electricity?…47:06

• Before Wi-Fi, it was important how the house was wired
  • Shutting off the electricity at night in the bedroom
  • You don't want a refrigerator back to back with your bed
• Watch for the source of high magnetic fields like high-tension wires
• You may be living in a geopathic stress zone
• Microsurge electrical pollution or dirty electricity
  • Stetzerizer
• Measure to see if you're getting a high magnetic field on a line
• House wiring should be in metal conduits
• Shielded Healing
• Why am I getting rid of incandescent lights? 
• Appliances recommendation
• Most common source of mold is front-loading washers
• If the appliance breaks, how will you prevent the flood?
• A tiny leak in a faucet or under sink piping can lead to very toxic mold
  • Metal trays for flood control
  • Floor drains
• Front-loading washing machines
  • Cleaning with ozone — fantastic for controlling mold
  • Open the doors between loads
  • Wipe the insides of the gaskets
• Ozone Generator
• Ben prefers appliances without Wi-Fi, but these are getting harder and harder to get

-How to clean the house?…58:48

• Use something nontoxic
• Branch Basics
  • Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
• HEPA vacuum cleaner is very important
  • Miele or, less expensive, Shark
• Microfiber cloth, soap, water
• Do not use brooms
• Anti-microbial products are not good
  • Not proven to be effective
  • Advertised to kill a lot of germs but the question is what chemicals are used
• Taking off your shoes when you enter the home
• Prescriptions for a Healthy House by Paula Baker Laporte
• Building Biology Institute