Summary of Dr. Wright’s Interview at Healthy Materials Lab
On October 3, 2022, the Healthy Materials Lab – Healthy Materials Lab – at Parsons School of Architecture in the United States conducted a live interview with Dr. Robert Wright, Director of the Exposome Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
The open interview format allowed for questions from attendees, including members of Slow Studio, whose conclusions we share below in the form of ideas or notes that help us remain continuously alert to new concepts linking our built environments with people’s health and well-being—a topic we are passionate about and cannot stop researching, learning about, and sharing.
1- The Relationship Between Environmental Toxins and CO2
When asked about the need to acquire complex equipment for measuring toxins in the indoor environment of an inhabited space, Dr. Wright proposed the simple solution of acquiring a household CO2 monitor, which in the post-COVID era can be purchased for little more than the cost of a temperature or humidity indicator and will indicate the ventilation quality of a space.
When CO2 levels are low, indicating that the space has been ventilated—not that it has remained empty for an extended period, in which case there would be a concentration of toxins in the environment—we can assume that the indoor air quality of a room is healthy and there is no accumulation of toxins.
2- The Concept of “Walkability” in an Urban Environment
Dr. Wright discussed the need to design urban environments with generous sidewalks where cars take a back seat. Environments where people feel inclined to go out for a walk or run, which is a form of well-being and health, and where leaving home with children is not a source of stress and concern but rather a pleasant family activity that can involve the rest of the neighborhood community.
3- The Concept of Stress Produced by the Built Environment
Situations such as access to housing or living in an unhealthy dwelling with dampness, mold, or poor ventilation that does not ensure comfortable temperatures in summer or winter without high energy consumption are some of the situations that produce stress and discomfort in our living spaces.
4- How to Measure Our Exposure to Environmental Toxins?
Considering that we spend more than 90% of our time indoors, is there any way to know which toxins we are exposed to?
Dr. Wright recommends the company myexposome.com, an American laboratory that offers a method for analyzing our immediate environment through the use of a silicone wristband worn for a day, a week, or a month that will store information about the toxins we are exposed to in our direct environment.
The wristbands detect endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) that interfere with endocrine system functions, toxins present in personal care products, PAHs—Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons—which are petroleum derivatives, combustion derivatives, or oxygenated compounds highly harmful to the environment, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), pesticides that can be slightly or highly toxic to humans, and flame retardants that may be present in textiles, plastics, cable insulation, or paints and whose emissions have neurotoxic effects.
5- Why Is Regulation Not Arriving to Reduce Our Exposure to Toxins?
According to Dr. Wright, legislation is not effective because major manufacturers find ways to replace prohibited or regulated toxic components with others that may be potentially more harmful than the originals.
In this regard, Dr. Wright advocates for information as a tool for change. Having the complete declaration of components in a building material is a guarantee that the manufacturer has nothing to hide and that there are no toxic components in the product. In cases where composition cannot be revealed due to proprietary rights, there are independent certifications that ensure the healthfulness of a product.
For further information on this topic, we recommend Dr. Robert Wright’s video about his exposome project.
You can also access the Healthy Materials Lab website, where you can find information about upcoming conferences, courses, and resources.