Final 'Build Smart, Breathe Easier' House with Asthma-Healthy Features Dedicated in Atlanta

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., Dec. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The last of four Habitat for Humanity houses built across the United States as part of the Build Smart, Breathe Easier national asthma education program will be dedicated in partnership with the Obele family in the Metro Atlanta area on Friday, December 9, 2011. Program partners Merck, Habitat for Humanity-North Central Georgia, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and HGTV's Carter Oosterhouse will host a dedication ceremony at which Joyce Obele, her mother, Cecelia, and six children will receive keys and walk through their completed house with asthma-healthy features for the first time.

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Joyce and her six children are working to rebuild their lives after two devastating events, the loss of their home and Cecilia's cancer diagnosis. The family's contribution to building a house with asthma-healthy features is particularly important because two of the daughters, Cindy (11) and Amara (13), suffer from asthma and have been hospitalized on numerous occasions. Despite these challenges, the children excel in school and Joyce is pursuing a degree in human services, hoping to someday work with children of domestic abuse.

"This new house is going to have a big impact on our lives," said Joyce Obele. "This year, I look forward to celebrating the holidays in our new house with asthma-healthy features, which will help provide a much healthier environment for my entire family to grow." 

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

• Vinyl floors that do not require adhesive (except at the seams), thus reducing the overall level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the house
• Paint with a VOC-free, antimicrobial finish, which helps prevent the adherence of mold or bacteria and has no lingering odor
• Low-VOC cabinetry with solid front face, smooth hardware and extension to the ceiling to eliminate areas where dust can accumulate
• 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
• Moisture resistant backer boards in the bathrooms and kitchen to help prevent mold
• Advanced framing techniques that allow for heavy insulation of the exterior walls and reduce the amount of air and moisture infiltration
• Strip foam insulation around the exterior doors, windows and foundation wall to help reduce air and moisture flow
• Landscape design customized with low pollinating shrubbery and trees, non-wind pollinating flowers and minimal grasses

Merck is also donating modest, AAFA-certified furnishings to the family to help them maintain an asthma-healthy home. These include: asthma & allergy friendly^® bedding for everyone in the home, asthma & allergy friendly^® toys for the children, and a vacuum with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter suitable for cleaning hard-surface flooring and area rugs.

Three additional houses with asthma-healthy features were dedicated this year in Detroit, Philadelphia and Los Angeles with the help of volunteers and the partner families. The Obele's home is the last Habitat for Humanity house to be dedicated as part of the Build Smart, Breathe Easier program.

"Although this is the final house being dedicated as part of Build Smart, Breathe Easier, this program was designed to extend beyond these four houses to help educate all Americans about simple things they can do at home to help minimize environmental asthma triggers," said Dr. Stanley Fineman, a partner with The Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic (AAAC) and president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "I hope people with asthma feel empowered to make their homes more asthma-healthy and continue to involve their doctors in helping to manage their disease."

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 learn more about the houses built this year and the partner families who will be moving into the homes.

About Asthma

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America's 2011 Asthma Capitals report, Atlanta is ranked 13 out of 100 large cities that are challenging for individuals with asthma. In Georgia alone, nearly one million children and adults suffer from asthma. More than 10,000 hospitalizations due to asthma occurred in Georgia in 2007, with rates highest among children and older adults.

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 a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God's love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat's blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.

Habitat for Humanity-North Central Georgia

Habitat for Humanity-North Central Georgia is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. In January 2006, the Habitat affiliates in North Fulton, Cherokee, Forsyth, and Dawson Counties merged to form Habitat for Humanity-North Central Georgia in order to greater address the housing need in the growing community. Today, Habitat for Humanity-North Central Georgia has built more than 220 homes in North Fulton, Cherokee and Forsyth Counties, and served more than 850 people in our communities. Habitat for Humanity-North Central Georgia has also built more than 150 houses internationally. The affiliate aims to provide even more families "a hand up, not a hand out" for many years to come. For more information, visit www.habitat-ncg.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 working to help the world be well. 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 and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

SOURCE Merck