'Build Smart, Breathe Easier' Program Dedicates First House with Asthma-Healthy Features with Detroit Family

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The first Habitat for Humanity house built as part of the Build Smart, Breathe Easier national asthma education program will be dedicated in partnership with the Dunmore family in Detroit on Friday, July 29, 2011. Program partners Merck, Habitat for Humanity Detroit, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and HGTV's Carter Oosterhouse will host a dedication ceremony where Betty Dunmore and her three daughters will receive keys and walk through their completed home with asthma-healthy features for the first time.

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The Dunmores are one of four families identified by Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the country as being in need of simple, decent, affordable housing and are affected by asthma. Betty Dunmore is a single mother with three daughters, Androni (12), who has asthma, Amyre (5 1/2) and Cameron (4), who also experiences asthma-like symptoms. In the past, they have coped with living in an apartment in disrepair with no outside area for the daughters to play. Their new house will help provide a better living environment for the entire family, which is particularly important for Androni and Cameron.

"I am excited to become a homeowner for the first time with the help of Habitat for Humanity Detroit," said Betty Dunmore. "When I learned our new house was being built with asthma-healthy features, I felt extreme gratitude in knowing my family will now have a healthy place to call home."

Based on principles from AAFA's asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program, the house incorporates healthy features using specific building techniques, materials and ventilation systems. Some of these elements include:

• Wood vinyl floors that do not require adhesive (except at the seams), thus reducing the overall level of VOCs in the house
• Paint with a volatile organic compound (VOC)-free, antimicrobial finish, which helps prevent the adherence of mold or bacteria and has no lingering odor
• Plywood cabinets in place of the standard particle board cabinets, which emit lower levels of VOCs and require less VOC-emitting adhesive
• Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) filters with high Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) ratings, which capture more and smaller-sized air particles than filters with lower MERV ratings
• A bath fan and kitchen stove range hood that vent to the exterior of the house to remove excess moisture and indoor air pollution that may impact someone with asthma
• Advanced framing techniques that allow for heavy insulation of the exterior walls and reduce the amount of air and moisture infiltration. Expanding foam is also used around the exterior doors, windows and foundation wall to help reduce moisture flow and outside air that may contain additional asthma triggers from entering the house

Merck is also donating modest, AAFA-certified furnishings to the family to help them maintain an asthma-healthy home. These include: asthma-healthy bedding for everyone in the home and asthma-healthy toys for the children; a vacuum with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter suitable for cleaning hard-surface flooring and area rugs; and a washer and dryer that reach the necessary temperature to kill dust mites and their eggs.

As part of Build Smart, Breathe Easier, three additional houses with asthma-healthy features are currently under construction in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Los Angeles with the help of volunteers and the partner families. These houses will be dedicated in November and December this year.

Learn More and Get Involved

If you, a family member or a friend is suffering from asthma, please visit Build Smart, Breathe Easier at www.buildsmartbreatheeasier.com to learn how to reduce exposure to asthma triggers in the home and access tools that can help manage the disease. There, you can also stay up-to-date on the home builds, including information about the families, volunteer opportunities and progress on each of the houses.

About Asthma

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America's 2011 Asthma Capitals report, Detroit is ranked 23 out of 100 large cities that are challenging for individuals with asthma. In Detroit alone, 13.7 percent of adults suffer from asthma, which is 50 percent higher than the state of Michigan as a whole. Rates of asthma hospitalization in Detroit are also three times higher than that of Michigan as a whole.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation of the air passages, resulting in the episodic narrowing of the airways. Asthma symptoms can be triggered by allergens or irritants and symptoms can include difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. With more than 24 million people living with asthma in the United States, it is one of the most common and costly chronic diseases. Annually, this disease leads to almost two million asthma-related emergency room visits and close to 4,000 asthma-related deaths in the United States.

Build Smart, Breathe Easier Partners

Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved more than 400,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 2 million people. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit Habitat.org.

Habitat for Humanity Detroit

Habitat for Humanity Detroit (Habitat Detroit) is striving to help strengthen local neighborhoods by developing local revitalization plans to transform targeted neighborhoods through the elimination of substandard housing and its causes. In the fall of 2005, Habitat for Humanity Detroit and U-SNAP-BAC Non-profit Housing entered into a unique partnership to revitalize the 16-block Morningside Commons neighborhood on Detroit's east side. The house sponsored by Build Smart, Breathe Easier is one of many being built in the Morningside Commons neighborhood and is part of Habitat Detroit's 25th anniversary celebration. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit HabitatDetroit.org.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1953, is the leading patient organization for people with asthma and allergies, and the oldest asthma and allergy patient group in the world. AAFA is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma and allergic diseases through education, advocacy and research. AAFA provides practical information, community based services and support to people through a network of regional chapters, support groups and other local partners around the United States. For more information, visit www.aafa.org.

Carter Oosterhouse

Carter Oosterhouse is an authority in eco-living and one of America's most recognized lifestyle experts. As host of HGTV's "Carter Can" and "Red, Hot & Green," Carter uses his design and carpentry expertise to help homeowners improve their surroundings, often incorporating green building solutions as well as design alternatives that promote healthier living.  

The youngest of four children, Carter was born and raised in Traverse City, MI, where he started acquiring his carpentry skills and respect for the environment at an early age. From Carter's first television appearance on TLC's "Trading Spaces," audiences have adored his down-to-earth personality and craftsman skills. He was voted People magazine's "Sexiest Man on TV" in 2003 and has also become a go-to home improvement expert for many national media, including Rachael Ray, The Today Show, Oprah and The View.  

Carter is also the founder of Carter's Kids, an organization dedicated to building and developing community parks and playgrounds in low-income areas in an effort to promote healthy living. For more information about Carter, visit www.carteroosterhouse.com.  

About Merck

Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com.  

CONTACT:          

Tara Camp (Merck)                    
908-423-7425                    
[email protected]                    

Angel Waldron (AAFA)                    
202-466-7643 ex. 248                    
[email protected]                      

Tami Griffin (Habitat for Humanity International)                    
303-332-8446                    
[email protected]                    

Tara Franey (Habitat for Humanity Detroit)                    
313-485-0429                                        
[email protected]                    

Jennifer Semetulskis (Edelman)                    
312-240-2994                    
[email protected]                    

SOURCE Merck