An introduction to why breathable wall systems
At the heart of the Building Biology philosophy is the time-honored concept of the “breathing wall,” that is, all natural, self-regulating, electromagnetically balanced materials that have the capacity to diffuse moisture, air and pollutants. These walls can be made using locally available; all natural materials developed over thousands of years of accumulated building practices.
Contrast to that is the conventional“airtight” sealed building envelope so common now in this country with a suffocating airtight polyethylene vapor barrier. The toxic soup that comprises the majority of building materials used in North American has contributed to the widespread phenomenon of “Sick Building Syndrome.”
Including breathable walls ensure improved indoor air quality, superior longevity, better thermal storage qualities, higher r values, improved fire safety, less moisture buildup and superior resistance to mold and mildew are just a few of the added benefits. Not only that but you can reduce materials costs significantly.
Washington University in June 1975. Since that time he has worked throughout the Pacific Northwest, the Great Plains, and Southeastern United States, designing, building, and managing construction of homes and commercial buildings. In 1981 he published the bestselling Dome Scrapbook culminating his experience of designing and participating in building more than 300 geodesic dome structures in the Pacific Northwest between 1974 and 1981. Over the years Swanson Associates have completed over eighty low-toxic, and fully non-toxic “Breathing” natural building projects in eleven states and several foreign countries.
