What does it take to go from two cancer diagnoses and years of undiagnosed mold illness to becoming one of the most quietly influential voices in the healthy building industry? In this episode, Ashley sits down with her dear friend and longtime colleague Zara D'Cotta, building biology educator, electromagnetic radiation specialist, and founder of The Healthy Home in Australia, for one of the most personal and wide-ranging conversations this podcast has had. Zara's path into healthy building ran through a breast cancer diagnosis at twenty-nine, a melanoma two years later, and a slow, devastating journey through multiple water-damaged buildings in Sydney before she finally understood what was happening in her body and decided to do something about it at industry scale.

Together Ashley and Zara explore what is happening in Australia right now that the US building industry should be paying close attention to, including landmark 2023 National Construction Code changes that officially recognized mold as a hazard to human health and opened the door to lawsuits against builders and designers for mold in walls and roofs. They also talk about what it actually looks like to educate builders on EMF, why so many of the builders Zara works with are now taking electromagnetic radiation seriously enough to carry meters on site, and why the supply chain is finally starting to ask better questions about material health. And because this is the Awakening Spaces podcast, they go there on astrology, human design, and what it means to build a life and a business that is aligned with who you actually are.

This one is equal parts building science, lived experience, and soul. If you have ever wondered what the healthy building conversation looks like from the other side of the world, or what it looks like to rebuild yourself from the inside out while also trying to change an industry, this episode is for you.

Episode 46 - Mold Codes, Material Health, EMF Awareness, and Why Australia Is Leading the Way with Zara D'Cotta of The Healthy Home (33mins)

Episode 46 - Mold Codes, Material Health, EMF Awareness, and Why Australia Is Leading the Way with Zara D'Cotta of The Healthy Home

THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

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Zara D'Cotta is a Building Biology New Build Consultant, Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, and founder of The Healthy Home in Australia. After navigating two cancer diagnoses and years of environmental illness across multiple water-damaged homes, Zara made it her mission to bridge cutting-edge research and real-world building practice. She holds both the BBNC and EMRS certifications, placing her in a small group of building biologists globally qualified to integrate EMF awareness with moisture control, material health, and healthy design principles into mainstream construction. 

Today she works with builders, designers, and industry organizations across Australia and beyond through her Healthy Building Materials Mastermind, her Low EMF Home Design and Construction course, and her consulting and speaking work with some of the most forward-thinking organizations in the built environment.

About the Guest