Episode 144: Creating Healthy Homes With Building Biologist George Swanson

In this episode of Grateful Heart, Rebecca interviews passionate building biologist George Swanson.🏗️🧪 George dives into the specialty of building biology, identifying building materials that contain unsafe🙅 chemicals and toxins, and he shares his story of why he became a building biologist. George also reveals fascinating conversations from his research on European-made buildings that last longer than American-made ones, introduces the use of Magnesium Oxide Structural Insulated Panels (MGO SIPS) and China's 30-year program to remove toxins.🙌 Additionally, George touches on why more people seem to be falling sick due to mold and toxins, his website and book "Breathing Walls", and the Building Biology Institute Organization. Gain insights and knowledge as Rebecca and George open the conversation about safe and healthy homes🏡 along with ways to contact George for any building-related or consulting inquiries. Tune in to learn more! Listen & Learn: 3:30 - Rebecca intros George Swanson 5:00 - What is a building biologist and what do they do 8:25 - What does off-gassing mean in building? 11:46 - The start of healthy building training in Germany 13:25 - George’s story and why he became a building biologist 16:00 - How to detoxify building chemicals/toxins 23:15 - Why do American-made buildings fall apart sooner than those in Europe? 25:43 - Magnesium Oxide Structural Insulated Panels (MGO SIPS) & China 28:40 - How George finds quality MGO Panels? 32:00 - China’s 30-year program to remove toxins 35:19 - Why does it seem that everyone is getting more sick now 40:00 - George’s website and what he offers 42:34 - Building Biology Institute Organization 45:05 - George’s consulting services 47:50 - George’s book “Breathing Walls” 49:15 - How to contact George & final thoughts 50:50 - Rebecca’s closing thoughts Special Guest: Geroge Swanson - Certified Senior Building Biologist (IBB): Received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology from Western Washington University in June 1975. 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. A few of the building systems used were traditional, StrawClay, Rammed Earth, “Faswall”, clay-treated woodchip block, “Hebel” aerated concrete block wall systems, and most recently MgO natural ceramic cement-based building systems. Several of these projects have included: single-family wetland septic systems, rooftop water collection systems, pervious concrete landscape features, and solar voltaic energy systems. George Paul Swanson is a registered graduate of the IBS International “Bau Biology & Ecology” program as a “Building Biologist” as of 1992 and is listed in “Who’s Who” in America in 1996 for his contributions to Sustainable Technology. Currently, he offers natural home and commercial building consulting, designing and construction oversee services throughout the states and abroad. In recent years Swanson Associates have been lead design/build consultants for numerous commercial projects including several churches, a monastery, and a twenty-one-building natural medicine complex in Austin Texas. Ongoing long-term international projects include a waterfront Eco-resort in Kauai, the restoration of an ancient hacienda in Mexico, and an Eco-Village complex in Trinidad. Recently he has returned from his 8th trip to China where he is conducting ongoing product development for Magnesium Oxide Ceramic fiber cement products, including all-natural fiber/MgO cement-based wall, roof, and floor prefabricated structural insulative panels (SIPs). Since 1975 he has conducted hundreds of seminars across the country and abroad on the benefits of natural building design. George's Book: https://www.breathingwalls.com/drupal/drupal-5.14/ Website: https://geoswan.com/ Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail]