Healthy Indoors Magazine - USA Edition

10 | COVER STORY— May 2018 not they were part of the public health workforce, not just energy or IAQ. "I hope you like it, because we need you," she said. "The Building Performance Institute (BPI) has a new Healthy Home Evaluator credential which is helping all of us get more qualified to help consumers." Her parting advice to attendees was to get in the ad- vocacy game in terms of energy to ensure that state cof- fers remained filled with these types of efficiency funding. Professionals also need to meet the state and local health partners to explain their work and training. In addition, get- ting involved with hospitals and public health agencies is important. Make sure you use best practices in the industry. "IAQ professionals can be brought in on a higher lev- el," she said. "Don't worry. There's plenty of work for both sides." Bob Krell of Healthy Indoors interviewed Tohn after her keynote presentation and that's this month's Healthy In- door LIVE Show. Check it out on the next page or go to www.healthyindoors.com. 3. We can use this workforce and the jobs we're doing to not just do energy efficiency but add some other home repairs that will provide health improvements. Tohn said that we need to follow the advice of "stock- ing the housing pharmacy. The medical community can't write this type of prescription." Tohn added that the research on energy and health already shows there's benefits, but mostly in the low-in- come sector. Families that get heating fuel assistance, for example, have children who are healthier because they're warmer and don't get sick all the time. Other studies are showing a drop in energy use reduces fuel bills, but also reduced asthma and allergy symptoms as well. Although the data on asthma is currently mixed, the number of peo- ple going to the hospital for asthma has gone down in par- ticular. Most people are rating their health better a year after energy improvements to their home. Work Connections Finally, Tohn encouraged attendees to make connections with other partners in the field. Her work with One Touch Programs, for example, encourages professionals to con- nect with health partners, housing partners, and energy partners, like weatherization programs. This way profes- sionals can make themselves part of team programs who already have great access to homes while trying to make them healthier. "You shouldn't have to go into home by yourself," she said. "Go in as part of a team. You're the one who fixes things. Especially in the low income sector, this is a good prescription to use." Tohn also told attendees that whether they liked it or i

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