Affected by allergies?
We create spaces that really take the pressure off.
AFBA awards a medically based seal for buildings that demonstrably minimize allergens - with clear requirements for indoor air, materials, planting and interior design. This creates real quality of life for people with allergies: in offices, homes, schools, daycare centers, hotels and much more.
Indoor air quality
We ensure that vapors, pollen and other allergens in the indoor air are significantly reduced.
Choice of material
Only low-allergen, low-pollutant and emission-tested materials are used.
Innenraumgestaltung
From furnishings to ventilation: our criteria ensure allergy-friendly everyday use.
Medically proven
All requirements are based on medical expertise and current research findings.
Allergies in numbers
A common ailment
40%
of all 0 to 40-year-olds suffer from allergies.
Every 10.
Sick note is from an allergy sufferer.
100 MIO.
days missed from school and work are due to allergies.
Allergies are the most common chronic disease in all industrialized countries.
The most common allergies include
- allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
- asthma
- neurodermatitis
- urticaria
- contact allergies
Allergies are always chronic and progressive. Untreated hay fever is considered one of the main risk factors for the development of asthma. Experts also call this development the “allergic march” or “floor change”.
Only around 10 % of allergic patients in Germany receive adequate treatment.
Allergens
A basic distinction is made between type 4 allergens, which cause a T-cell response, and type 1 allergens, which cause an immediate allergic reaction.
The common type 1 allergens that are important in buildings include pollen that is carried into the building from the outside area, in particular pollen from birch, alder, hazel and less allergenic tree species such as beech and oak. This is followed by a detailed assessment of the outdoor area and advice on planting plans.
There are clear lists of contact allergens from the German Society for Contact Allergy (DKG). However, the listed ingredients have different meanings depending on which of the materials they occur in. For example, a rubber ingredient on the backing material of a carpet is not a problem, whereas a volatile preservative in the backing material of the carpet may well be significant in the room air. The same applies to the sheathing of plastics, e.g. cables. Particularly when these become warm under electrical load, considerable evaporation of plasticizers can occur, which can be harmful to the interior.
Consequences and effects
- Allergies cause more than 100 million days of absence from school and work across Europe every year, as allergy-related chronic fatigue impairs academic and professional performance
- The avoidable annual costs to the economy caused by allergies - such as hay fever - in the EU are estimated to amount to 100 billion euros.
- Due to reduced performance at work, an average of 528 euros per allergy sufferer per year is accounted for by the cost of days off work. However, the majority of the costs are caused by the fact that allergy symptoms reduce the performance of employees. This is estimated to be around 1,690 euros per year per allergy sufferer.
- Children with untreated allergic rhinitis are 40% more likely to drop at least one grade at school.
- Allergies are often associated with a high loss of quality of life.
- Possible side effects are Tiredness, listlessness, depression, nervousness, restlessness, hyperactivity.
- Approximately 7% of traffic accidents or near misses are due to allergies, for example when you close your eyes as a reflex when sneezing. This can have dangerous consequences in traffic!
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