Clarkson gets $500,000 to study flooring safety

POTSDAM — Clarkson University has received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to study the health and safety impacts of flooring used in affordable housing projects.

Assistant Professor Andrea R. Ferro, the study's chief investigator, hopes to learn the difference between hardwood and tile compared to carpeting, in terms of the particles — including allergens and asthma triggers — that the floorings put into the air.

"In lower-income housing, a lot of times carpeting is used because it's more affordable. The first thing I'm really interested in is looking at carpets versus hard floor and just seeing the differences," she said. "I've written this proposal several times in the past few years. It's nice to have it go through."

Both Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Rep. John M. McHugh, R-Pierrepont Manor, backed and welcomed the funding.

"This is great news for Clarkson. The university continues to shine as a beacon of innovative research and academic excellence," Sen. Clinton said in a statement. "I'm also pleased that this grant will fund important research that could have a far-reaching impact on the health of millions of Americans who suffer from asthma."

Under the Healthy Homes Technical Studies funding, Ms. Ferro and other scientists in Clarkson's Center for the Environment will examine the suspension of particles from carpeted and uncarpeted floors, to look at dust control and air quality measures.

"This important study will evaluate the health and safety impact of the choice of flooring in affordable housing projects," Rep. McHugh said in a statement. "We need to ensure that flooring choices made in low-income housing do not have a negative health effect on residents, and the best way to do this is to fully understand the impact of different flooring choices."