HIP has developed a National Strategy based on extensive consultations with multiple stakeholders from all across Canada, our research report Achieving Healthy Indoor Environments: A Review of Canadian Options, and work done by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Healthy Buildings-Healthy People initiative. While this strategy guides our work and recommends some specific actions for particular members - each member is free to decide for itself if and when it will adopt the recommended actions. The
Strategy is available in PDF format for
viewing and downloading. It will be updated on an ongoing basis, to reflect new information and stakeholder views. We will also be reporting progress for each of the identified action items. You can
post your comments on the National Strategy in our forums section.
The Strategy's five main goals guide our work:
- Achieve major health gains and improve professional education
- Foster the design of healthier new and renovated buildings
- Stimulate nationwide action to enhance and maintain health in existing structures
- Create and use innovative healthy products, materials and technologies
- Promote health-conscious individual behaviour and consumer awareness
Each goal has associated action items for moving towards the goal.
Goal 1: Achieve major health gains and improve professional education:
- Action Item 1-Health Canada should coordinate federal and provincial activities related to the indoor environment.
- Action Item 2-The federal government, led by Health Canada, should establish an integrated indoor environment research agenda.
- Action Item 3-Health Canada should review and, if necessary, revise the existing Exposure Guidelines for Residential Indoor Air Quality
- Action Item 4-Health Canada should review and, if necessary, revise the existing guideline for radon.
- Action Item 5-The Healthy Indoors Partnership will facilitate the development and implementation of initiatives that raise awareness and knowledge among health care professionals.
Goals 2 and 3: Foster the design of healthier new and renovated buildings, and stimulate nationwide action to enhance and maintain health in existing structures:
- Action Item 6-The federal government, led by CMHC, should promote the formation of integrated project teams and the adoption of best practices to achieve healthier indoor environments.
- Action Item 7-Health Canada should retain accounting professionals to investigate, develop and eventually apply the appropriate metrics to measure and demonstrate the costs and benefits of healthy indoor environments.
- Action Item 8-The federal government, led by Industry Canada, should develop and implement policy supportive of related voluntary initiatives.
- Action Item 9-NRCan should develop and promote building system performance targets, and rating systems and standards.
- Action Item 10-The federal government, led by CMHC and NRCan, should develop and implement a national strategy to improve the indoor environment and energy efficiency of existing buildings.
Goal 4: Create and use innovative healthy products, materials and technologies:
- Action Item 11-The federal government led by Health Canada and CMHC should take the lead in promoting the development and use of lower-emission products.
- Action Item 12-The federal government led by Industry Canada should take the lead in promoting the development and use of monitoring and control technologies.
Goal 5: Promote health-conscious individual behaviour and consumer awareness:
- Action Item 13-The federal government in cooperation with the Healthy Indoor Partnership will strengthen professional education and designations for building and maintenance professionals.
- Action Item 14-The federal government led by Health Canada in cooperation with the provinces and relevant stakeholders will develop and promote children's and school-based campaigns.
- Action Item 15-The Healthy Indoors Partnership will develop and implement a sustained, broad-based social marketing campaign on healthy indoor environments.
|
