Habitat and Health: Meeting the Gold Standard

Here at Twin Cities Habitat, we believe in using practices that ensure our homes are safe, decent, affordable – and promote good health for our partner families.

That’s why we were honored when the Minnesota Department of Health named us the No. 1 Gold Standard Builder of Radon Resistant New Construction – a prestigious award that means we’re among the best in the state at building and rehabbing radon-resistant homes.

Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that is naturally occurring in much of the soil throughout Minnesota. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S, killing more than 21,000 each year. The Minnesota Department of Health estimates one in three Minnesota homes has radon levels that pose a major health risk.

The good news is that radon exposure is preventable.

In 2010, Twin Cities Habitat and the MDH Radon Program established a partnership to build new homes that meet the MDH Gold Standard, and MDH has generously donated radon mitigation equipment used in our homes. By using the Gold Standard method of actively drawing radon from below the home and venting it above the roofline, we’re protecting the health of the families we serve. 

Click here for more information on radon testing and mitigation in new and existing homes.