S is for Safety and Indoor Air Quality
How the Safety Pillar protects your health at home
The Safety Pillar of the Pearl SCORE™ looks at how well a home protects its occupants from common health and safety problems. It focuses on issues like indoor air pollution, mold, water safety, and exposure to dangerous materials.
These problems are serious. For example, indoor air pollution can trigger asthma. High radon levels are linked to lung cancer. Mold caused by moisture can lead to long-term health issues. The Safety Pillar helps identify whether a home has features to reduce these risks.
The Pearl SCORE assigns points in the Safety Pillar across several problem areas, based on the relative risks and potentially negative health outcomes associated with each problem:
- Particulate matter (dust, pollen, and pollution)
- Carbon monoxide
- Radon
- Moisture and mold
- Unsafe drinking water
- Hazardous materials (like asbestos or lead paint)
- Accessibility (for people with mobility challenges)
The more a home can prevent or reduce these issues, the more points it earns. For example, homes with good air sealing, proper ventilation, and filtration systems are less likely to have airborne pollutants.
Some features earn points just by being present and working properly. Others get more points based on their performance or the quality of the installation. Homes don’t have to be perfect, but homes that score well in Safety give people a healthier place to live.
The Safety Pillar is based on trusted standards, including:
- EPA Indoor airPLUS
- EPA Radon Standards of Practice
- ASHRAE Standard 62.2
- EPA Drinking Water Regulations
- BPI and RESNET guidelines for moisture and combustion safety