The moment she walked into her new office at Chong Partners Architecture, San Francisco, Jean Hansen knew something was missing. The senior associate/senior interior designer has entered many new and newly remodeled spaces in her career, and recognized immediately what was different.

"I walked out of the elevator doors, and there wasn't that 'new car' smell."

We all recognize that mixture of interior aromas from new plastics, glue and carpet that tells us that we're in a new set of wheels. It's a good feeling; this vehicle is brand spanking new.

The experience is similar when we enter a new or renovated building interior. The smells are fresh, powerful and, just like in a new car, not all that good for us. That's because when many materials are new, they're unstable and give off gases—volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—that may have both short- and long-term adverse health effects.