Interior Finishes

Options to consider to reduce pollution within your house — making it healthier for your family to live in

All R-2000 Homes must reduce VOCs concentrations by incorporating at least three of the following features:

Carpets used must be certified by the Canadian Carpet Institute as low emission carpeting or shall cover no more than 50% of the floor area.

All paints and varnishes used indoors, including wood flooring, shall be water based meeting Environment Canada’s Environmental Choice standards. Pre-finished items are allowed.

All flooring adhesives shall be water dispersion, low-toxicity formulations.

Cabinets and vanities shall be either solid wood or made from formaldehyde free particleboard or have all exposed surfaces and edges sealed with an Environmental Choice approved sealer.

Sheet vinyl flooring shall not be used. All vinyl flooring shall be either linoleum or synthetic tile.

All particleboard underlayment shall meet the E-1 European standard or have all surfaces sealed with an Environmental Choice approved sealer.

Install an active sub-slab depressurization system to control the entry of Radon and soil gases into the house.

Minimum R-2000 requirements are designed to address the basic VOC emitting materials for the majority of the population. For persons with more severe sensitivities and health concerns, we recommend looking beyond minimum requirements. One of the best sources of information available on common construction materials used in building houses and their implications on human health is Building Materials for the Environmentally Hypersensitive published and distributed by Canada Mortgage and Housing (www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca).