Our Journey
Having family members suffering from asthma and emotional imbalances we wondered whether the built environment we live in could be the reason or possibly making these conditions worse.
We are all aware that pollution in the environment is not good for your health. Similarly, we wondered if the air inside our homes could also be contributing to health issues? This simple question led us on a 3-year quest to better understand the causes and effects of the indoor environment on human and planetary health. At the time, we did not realize the breadth and depth of the research that would have to be undertaken.
We know this is a journey, and it will take the collective input from scientists, experts in related fields, and homeowners, to help us further improve the indoor environment. In addition, we learn every day that the planet is changing as a result of decades of neglect and willful disregard. Although we are living longer, we are not living well. Something has to change, and we have taken on this challenge.
Andrew Guido has followed his passions most of his adult life which have included fitness, food and now wellness real estate. He brings a multidisciplinary approach to homebuilding. With a diversified business career spanning over 30 years that includes leadership and operating positions in the food, communications, consulting, construction and land development industries. He has helped shape the business strategy for some of Canada’s largest companies and has a knack for seeing what’s around the corner… the creation of Erth.
Andrew has a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the Schulich School of Business from York University in Toronto, Ontario and is a Certified Building Biologist from the Building Biology Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico. When he is not busy working, Andrew can be found baking organic artisanal breads made with natural leaven. He is still trying to figure out how to use his outdoor wood burning pizza oven.
To build homes centered on human health and well-being.
To build homes, which enrich peoples lives and those within their community while being regenerative to the planet.
Every Revolution Transforms Humanity.
When an activity threatens the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.
Your home should be the happiest place on earth.
Think in terms of decades, not days.
Nature is the gold standard.
Go beyond sustainability to regeneration.
We win when we all win.
We need to change our minds to change our reality.
There is never too much detail.
Each one of us can make a difference. Together we can make an impact.
The development of Erth Homes was greatly inspired by the principles, science, and philosophy of Building Biology. Building Biology is the holistic study of how the built environment impacts human and planetary health. Building Biology is, at its core, preventative medicine. It is the first green and wellness movement and predates all major global green and wellness standards.
Building Biology (baubiologie) originated in Germany and gained momentum in the 1960s. The recognition of unusual patterns of illnesses in Germans living in new houses built after World War II (WWII) sparked the curiosity and subsequent study of the phenomenon by physicians, scientists, academics, and others. The consensus was that unlike homes built before WWII, these mass produced homes were made from chemically enhanced materials versus their pre-war counterparts which used more natural building materials The studies that followed systematically compared the modern homes made of highly processed materials with pre-industrial homes made of natural, minimally processed materials.
The resulting data became the foundation for establishing the science of Building Biology, and in 1983, the establishment of the Institute of Building Biology + Sustainability in Germany. In 1987, the Building Biology Institute (BBI) was founded in the US (formerly called the International Institute of Building Biology and Ecology (IBE)).
Since the end of WWII, more than 80,000 chemical compounds have been created, with the vast majority never tested for their impact on human health. A wealth of peer-reviewed scientific studies undeniably connect illnesses and diseases to chemicals, like formaldehyde, used in materials to build our homes.
The most significant change suggested in the Building Biology approach to the built environment, and adopted by Erth, is prioritizing occupant health. This seemingly subtle reordering of priorities mandates a rethink of accepted practices. It will profoundly impact how we design and build our homes in an era of Climate Change and uncertainty. In alignment with Building Biology, and also vital to the Erth approach, is the regeneration of the natural environment.