Contact:
Rachel R. Belew,
PR & Communications Manager
678.444.4047 or 678.548.7889
rbelew@greenguard.org
GREENGUARD Unveils Interactive, 3-D Virtual Home Tour as Tool to
Educate Consumers about Indoor Air Pollution Sources and Solutions
Virtual
home tour helps "visitors" identify common sources of chemical
emissions and simple, inexpensive ways to improve their home's indoor
air quality
(Atlanta, GA)-In
an effort to help people understand indoor air pollution and the simple
ways they can combat it in their homes, the GREENGUARD
Environmental Institute (GEI) unveiled today an interactive animated
house tour online, which allows users to take a virtual "walk
through" of a family residence while learning about common sources
of indoor air pollution.
The computer-generated,
two-story home features a fully-equipped kitchen, living room,
den, bathroom, master bedroom, and nursery, as well as an basement
that's undergoing renovation-each furnished with common household
products and materials that are known to emit volatile organic compounds
(VOCs). Once a user "enters" a room, he or she can scroll
over the various products to learn more about their chemical emissions,
as well as other sources of indoor air pollution, and discover straightforward
solutions.
"Indoor air
quality is one of those concepts that can be difficult to get your
head around because it seems so abstract. By creating this animated
home tour, we hope to bring the concept of indoor air quality to life
and make it more relatable to the average person," says Henning
Bloech, executive director of GEI. "I think most people will
be surprised to see just how many of the products they use in their
home contribute to indoor air pollution. But they'll be equally as
surprised to learn just how easy it is to make the air in their homes
healthier."
The animated house,
officially unveiled today, is available for "tours" on the
GREENGUARD Web site at www.greenguard.org/consumers
GEI encourages parents, grandparents, teachers, community leaders,
and green building and design professionals to use the virtual house
as an educational tool.
About the GREENGUARD
Environmental Institute (GEI)
The GREENGUARD
Environmental Institute aims to protect human health and improve quality
of life by enhancing indoor air quality and reducing people's exposure
to chemicals and other pollutants. As an ISO-IEC Guide 65:1996 accredited,
third-party organization, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute certifies
products and materials for low chemical emissions and provides a resource
for choosing healthier products and materials for indoor environments.
All certified products must meet stringent chemical emissions standards
based on established criteria from key public health agencies. GREENGUARD
Certification is broadly recognized and accepted by sustainable building
programs and building codes worldwide. For more information and a
complete listing of certified products, visit www.greenguard.org.
###