About

Oram Miller, BBEC, EMRS

Oram Miller, BBEC, EMRS is a Certified Building Biology Environmental Consultant and Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist based in Los Angeles. He received his certifications from the Building Biology Institute^TM (BBI) in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Oram provides on-site healthy home and office EMF evaluations for clients throughout Southern California who have electro-magnetic sensitivities, as well as those who want a healthier home or office. This includes real estate transactions, where he is part of the inspection team for clients interested in knowing EMF levels prior to purchase. He also provides telephone consultations for clients nationwide.

Oram consults on the healthy design and construction of new and remodeled homes. He writes extensively on the health hazards of EMFs on this website and provides healthy home lectures. He has been interviewed on numerous radio programs and podcasts on the topic of EMFs and healthy homes.

Oram serves the Building Biology Institute^TM (BBI) as Adjunct Faculty and Lab Leader Supervisor for the Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) seminars. He also participates in curriculum development for the EMR seminars. He founded and oversees an Apprenticeship Program for EMR students within the profession. He also serves on several committees for the Institute. Oram previously served as Director of Learning and Development for the Institute, having stepped down in November 2019 due to his client workload.

Oram produces and is host of a webinar series for the Green Home Institute, entitled, “Reducing occupant exposure to EMFs in residential construction”. Oram is co-author of Breathing Walls, featuring protocols for the design of a healthy new or remodeled home without mold or chemical outgassing.

Oram provides on-site home and office evaluation services to residents and businesses in the Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego areas of California. He also provides his services to clients nationwide by telephone, email and Skype.

Oram moved to California from Minnesota in January 2010. He was based in Minneapolis from 2005 through 2009 where he provided evaluations throughout the upper Midwest.

Oram received his certification as a Building Biology^TM Environmental Consultant and Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist (BBEC, EMRS) from the Building Biology Institute^TM. Oram’s training included assessment and mitigation of unhealthy electric and magnetic field exposure, indoor air quality, mold, and chemical outgassing.

Oram consults on the design, building and remodeling of healthy homes and offices in southern California and throughout the country. Oram recommends and oversees the implementation of a healthy electrical wiring protocol to create reduced EMF (electro-magnetic field) exposure. To view building projects that Oram has consulted upon, click here.

As noted above, Oram is a member of the Adjunct Faculty for his profession in the field of EMFs and is involved in curriculum development for both the EMR 212 and the advanced EMR 312 (Electromagnetic Radiation) seminars. He serves as Lab Leader Supervisor for the 212 and 312 EMR seminars.

The 212 and 312 EMR seminars are five-day intensive classes for students to learn the evaluation and mitigation protocols of the Building Biology profession for the four types of electromagnetic fields that exist in homes and offices. Completion of the advanced 312 seminar is one of the prerequisites for certification as an Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, or EMRS. Oram received this certification in December 2014. To view a copy of Oram’s EMRS Certificate of Completion, click here.

In 2014 Oram developed an Apprenticeship Program for the IBE. The program matches EMR students with building biologists throughout the US and Canada who are experienced in EMF evaluation and mitigation. Oram serves as one of those coaches to a number of EMF students in California and surrounding states. He also organizes a study day three times a year for local building biologists and EMF students in Southern California.

In October 2014, in recognition of the contributions that Oram has provided to the profession over the years in the areas of student recruitment and promotion of the profession, the Board of the Institute for Building Biology and Ecology (IBE) issued a Letter of Commendation to Oram. You can view that letter by clicking here.

Oram serves on the Conference Planning Committee of the Building Biology Institute^TM. The committee plans bi-annual weekend conferences for its members, which are also open to the public, on topics that promote creating healthy living and work environments. Oram was chairman of the committee for the 2012 Conference in Washington, DC. To view videos of presentations at past conferences, go to the Building-Biology & Ecology YouTube channel by clicking here.

Oram writes and lectures on health and the built environment, including the presentation of numerous lectures and workshops throughout Southern California and across the country. These have included presentations at the Conscious Life Expo in Los Angeles, the Cancer Control Society in Universal City, California, the Inspection Universe Conference of the International Association of Home Inspectors in Orlando, and the The Left Forum in New York City.

Further lectures have been presented at local venues in Southern California, including The Gateway in West Los Angeles, Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen in South Pasadena, Mother’s Market in Costa Mesa, Anaheim Hills, and Santa Ana, and the Living Temple Bookstore in Huntington Beach, among others.

Oram has been a guest on numerous radio programs, including The Unexplained with Howard Hughes on Talk Radio London, Lloyd Burrell’s Electric Sense EMF podcast, Toxic Free Talk Radio with Debra Lynn Dadd, Not Just Paleo with Evan Brand, The Morning Show with Patrick Timpone on One Radio Network, Hormones Spoken Here with Dr. Howard Liebowitz, Dr. Rima Health Reports with Dr. Rima Laibow and Ralph Fucetola, and RadioMD network with Dr. Susanne Bennett, among others.

Oram was interviewed about the potential dangers of exposure to radio frequency EMFs from baby monitors by Brooke Beare, news anchor on KESQ’s CBSLocal2 News at 5:30 in Palm Springs, California, which aired on November 10, 2014. To view the six minute piece, click here.

Oram has also been a guest presenter on the weekly Designs for Health national conference call to over one hundred health care practitioners, called Clinical Rounds Interviews.

While in Minnesota, Oram presented to members of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), as well as to architectural students at the University of Minnesota College of Design. He also presented healthy home lectures at the State of Minnesota’s Living Green Expo and the Eco-Experience at the Minnesota State Fair. Oram was a panelist at the annual conference of the International Institute for Bau-biologie and Ecology^TM in April 2008. He has also spoken at numerous healthy living expos and green building meetings throughout the years.

Prior to moving to California, Oram was active in several organizations in The Twin Cities of Minnesota dedicated to green, healthy construction. These included the Mississippi Headwaters Chapter of the US Green Building Council, the Committee on the Environment (COTE) of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Minnesota ASHRAE Sustainable Design Committee (MASDeC), and the Minnesota Building Green Alliance. Oram was a member of the Technical Committee of the Minnesota GreenStar Program. He also founded and moderated a monthly study group in the Twin Cities, the Midwest Building Ecology Coalition, that presents speakers on topics of healthy buildings and sustainable living.

In 2007, the organizers of the Minnesota GreenStar Program asked Oram to submit a healthy electrical wiring protocol as part of their guidelines to help remodelers and builders provide green new and remodelled homes in the state of Minnesota. The wiring guidelines are based upon protocols developed by Oram’s colleague and mentor, Spark Burmaster, EE, BBEC, EMRS of Environmental Options in Chaseburg, Wisconsin.

Oram is co-author of a manual entitled, “Breathing Walls,” promoting the Building Biology^TM approach to healthy new home construction and remodeling. The manual is based upon the work of builder and building biologist George Swanson of Austin, Texas, who is co-author. The manual is edited by Wayne Federer.

Finally, Oram has also served on the board of directors of two non-profit organizations in the Twin Cities. The first is Northland Sustainable Solutions that produces the local Northland Bioneers Conference. Oram was co-producer of the 2009 conference, which was held on October 24-25, 2009 at the University of Minnesota.

The second is the board of Tapestry Folkdance Center, where Oram enjoyed weekly Contra dancing while living in Minnesota. He now continues Contra dancing with the California Dance Co-op of Los Angeles and he has participated in dances at The Living Tradition in Orange County. (To see Oram having fun at a Contra dance weekend in April 2010 up at Mt. Baldy, click here for a brief YouTube video. He is the tall fellow initially on the left with glasses and dark hair in a poneytail. Then if you want to see how much fun Contra dancing can really be, click here to see eight minutes of pure bliss and some of the finest Contra dancing we have ever seen as folks enjoy a night out in Carrboro, North Carolina. Dozens of experienced dancers are rhythmically spinning to a great live band and the joint is jumpin’! Watch the intricate patterns that are so fun to follow and see why we love this so much!)

Click here to see photos from Oram’s going away party in January 2010 in Minneapolis. You will also see farewell comments from colleagues and clients upon Oram’s move to California.

For those of you living in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, you can view a list of local practicing building bioligists by clicking here.

You can contact Oram in California at 310.720.7686 or info@createhealthyhomes.com.

Why Choose Building Biology?

We spend an average of 90% of each day inside buildings. The EPA has determined that indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air. This is due to the build up of outgassed vapors from toxic paint, carpeting, cabinetry, and vinyl flooring; from mold; and from unhealthy positive ions, all in airtight buildings that don’t breathe.

A building that “breathes” has a regular exchange of stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. It also allows excess water vapor in indoor air to be transported outside right through hygroscopic wall materials that allow moisture to slowly pass through without any loss of thermal performance.

All the thick-wall building materials recommended by Building Biology^TM meet these criteria. When a house does not breathe, then “Sick building syndrome” is the result.

Likewise, common electrical wiring practices create unhealthy electric and magnetic field (EMF) exposure for occupants in most modern houses, disallowing the body from settling down to deep, restful Stage Four sleep at night. This prevents the normal healthy nighttime spike in melatonin production by the pineal gland in the brain. EMFs cause other problems, as well.

All of these influences contribute to chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, allergies, chemical sensitivities, and even cancer, and they make it more difficult for people to respond to health care modalities.

People who have a Building Biology^TM healthy home evaluation, on the other hand, report improvements in their health when these sources of indoor ill health are identified and removed. Click here to see Comments from Clients.

Introducing Building Biology

Building Biology began over thirty years ago in Germany as “Bau-biologie” in response to the decline in health caused by the rapid rise of toxic, improperly constructed buildings in post WWII Europe. The founders of the profession created alternative design and construction practices to reverse this trend.

Helmut Ziehe, a German architect and Bau-biologist, established the International Institute for Bau-biologie and Ecology^TM (IBE) in Clearwater, Florida in 1987 (now known as the Building Biology Institute^TM, or BBI). Oram received his certification from this Institute.

Members of the building biology profession in North America mourn the passing of our dear founder, Helmut, who passed away in January 2013 from complications of a stroke. To read a tribute to Helmut and his great contributions to the field of healthy homes written by Oram and published on the Healthy Home Dream Team blog of fellow building biologists, Ron and Lisa Beres, click here.

Complimentary to Sustainable Design

The approaches of Building Biology^TM fully support and compliment the principles of sustainability and the use of renewable resources. In fact, the Building Biology^TM profession predates the modern sustainable architecture movement and is fully based upon the same priniciples of stewardship and intelligent use of our dwindling natural resources.

This committment can be seen in the 25 Principles of Bau-biologie^TM, written many decades ago, before the birth of the “Green” building movement.

Building Biology^TM only differs from “Green” building in a few important ways, most notably our recommendation of breathable walls rather than the use of vapor barriers, and in some of our recommendations against such energy-saving electrical devices as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and the use of charge invertors to convert DC electricity generated by wind and solar panels to AC electricity.

Both devices create significant radio frequencies that bother many electrically-sensitive people. Alternatives to these health hazards are covered in detail in the electrical wiring section of our new building protocol, and discussed in Articles, Part 3, “Electrical and Magnetic Fields in the Home and Office.”

Compatible with Ancient Traditions

Building Biology^TM is compatible with ancient building practices, including ancient India’s Staphatya Veda (Vastu) and Feng Shui from ancient China.

We can help you design buildings that have proper Feng Shui and proper Vastu while being sustainabile and health-promoting.

The Twenty-five Principles of Building Biology^TM

The following list is from the International Institute for Building Biology^TM and Ecology (IBE) in Clearwater, Florida:

• 1. A building site shall be geologically undisturbed.
• 2. Residential homes are best located away from industrial centers and main traffic routes.
• 3. Housing shall be developed in a decentralized and loose manner interlaced with sufficient green space.
• 4. Housing and developments shall be personalized, in harmony with nature, fit for human habitation and family oriented.
• 5. Natural and unadulterated building materials shall be used.
• 6. Walls, floors and ceilings shall be diffusible and hygroscopic.
• 7. Indoor air humidity shall be regulated naturally.
• 8. Air pollutants need to be filtered and neutralized.
• 9. An appropriate balance of thermal insulation and heat retention is needed.
• 10. The air and surface temperatures of a given room need to be optimized.
• 11. A heating system shall feature radiant heat using as much (passive) solar heat as possible.
• 12. The total moisture content of a new building shall be low and dry out quickly.
• 13. A building shall have a pleasant or neutral smell. No toxins shall outgas.
• 14. Light, lighting and color shall be in accord with natural conditions.
• 15. Protective measures against noise pollution as well as infrasonic and ultrasonic vibrations need to be human oriented.
• 16. Only building materials with little or preferably no radioactivity shall be used.
• 17. The natural balance of atmospheric electricity and ion concentration shall be maintained.
• 18. The Earth’s natural magnetic field shall not be altered or distorted.
• 19. Man-made electromagnetic radiation shall be eliminated (or reduced as much as possible).
• 20. Cosmic and terrestrial radiation is essential and shall be interfered with as little as possible.
• 21. Interior and furniture design shall be based on physiological findings.
• 22. Harmonic measures, proportions and shapes need to be taken into consideration.
• 23. The production, installation and disposal of building materials shall not contribute to environmental pollution and high energy costs.
• 24. Building activities shall not contribute to the exploitation of non-renewable and rare resources.
• 25. Building activities shall not cause a rise in social and medical costs.