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Despite the growing emphasis on energy efficiency in building design, our indoor environments often fall short of providing optimal conditions for health and well-being. Indoor air quality, temperature, and lighting levels play crucial roles in occupant health, yet they are frequently overlooked in building practices. This oversight leads to environments that can harm health, contributing to respiratory problems, allergies, and reduced productivity. Design Strategies for Efficient and Sustainable Building Facilities offers a comprehensive solution. We delve into recent advances in building design, construction, and operation that prioritize energy efficiency and occupant health. By incorporating intelligent sensors, automation systems, and renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, buildings can be transformed into healthy, sustainable spaces that promote well-being. This book is tailored for researchers, professionals, university professors, and master's and doctoral students who seek to advance sustainable building practices. By exploring topics such as thermal comfort, air quality monitoring, and sustainable materials, readers will gain valuable insights into creating buildings that reduce environmental impact and enhance the health and well-being of occupants. Together, we can reshape the future of building practices, creating environments that nurture both people and the planet.

This book focuses on the relationship between buildings and our health and wellbeing, and by extension our quality of life. Expanding on the 50th anniversary Special Issue of Building Research & Information (BRI), which was dedicated to health and wellbeing, articles have been extended and updated to complement contributions from new authors. Building Health and Wellbeing covers design for ageing, energy poverty and health, productivity and thermal comfort in offices, housing space and occupancy standards, and much more. The aim is to explore the inter-relationship between people and our buildings. Chapters are supported with new case studies to illustrate global approaches to a common challenge, while demonstrating local strategies to suit different climates. The content covers housing, offices, and healthcare facilities and the unique aspect of the book is the people perspective, providing outlooks from different age groups and users of buildings. It will act as an important reference for academics in the built environment and healthcare sectors.

This edited collection explores disease transmission and the ways that the designed environment has promoted or limited its spread. It discusses the many design factors that can be used for infection and disease control through lenses of history, public health, building technology, design, and education.This book calls on designers to consider the role of the built environment as the primary source of bacterial, viral, and fungal transfers through fomites, ventilation systems, and overcrowding and spatial organization. Through 19 original contributions, it provides an array of perspectives to understand how the designed environment may offer a reprieve from disease. The authors build a historical foundation of infection and disease, using examples ranging from lazarettos to leprosy centers to show how the ability to control infection and disease has long been a concern for humanity. The book goes on to discuss disease propagation, putting forth a variety of ideas to control the transmission of pathogens, including environmental design strategies, pedestrian dynamics, and open space. Its final chapters serve as a prospective way forward, focusing on COVID-19 and the built environment in a post-pandemic world.Written for students and academics of architecture, design, and urban planning, this book ignites creative action on the ways to design our built environment differently and more holistically.Please note that research on COVID-19 has exponentially grown since this volume was written in October 2020. References cited reflect the evolving nature of research studies at that time.

Viruses, Bacteria and Fungi in the Built Environment: Designing Healthy Indoor Environments opens with a brief introduction to viruses, bacteria and fungi in the built environment and discusses their impact on human health. Sections discuss the microbiology of building materials, the airborne transmission of viruses and bacteria in the built environment, and plumbing-associated microbiome. As the first book on this important area to be written in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this work will be a valuable reference resource for researchers, civil engineers, architects, postgraduate students, contractors and other professionals working and interested in the field of the built environment. Elements of building design, including choice of materials, ventilation and plumbing can have important implications for the microbiology of a building, and consequently, the health of the building's occupants. This important new reference work explains the microbiology of buildings and disease control in the built environment to those who design and implement new construction and renovate. - Provides an essential guide on the microbiology of buildings, covering bacteria, fungi and viruses on surfaces, in air and in water - Comprehensively examines how humidity influences fungal growth in several building materials - Includes important information about the airborne transmission of infectious agents - Addresses ventilation design to improve human health - Presents the first book on disease control in buildings since the COVID-19 pandemic

Building for Well-Being is the first introduction to health-focused building standards for design and construction professionals. More than a summary of the state of the field, this practical resource guides designers, builders, developers, and owners through considerations for incorporating WELL®, Fitwel®, and other systems from the planning phase to ground-breaking and beyond. Side-by-side comparisons of established and emerging health-focused standards empower building professionals to select the most appropriate certifications for their projects. Drawing on the authors'backgrounds in sustainable design and public health, chapters on the evolution of the green building movement and the relationship between health and the built environment provide vital context for understanding health-focused standards and certifications. The final chapter looks toward the future of health and the built environment.

Indoor air quality and human health are of continuously growing importance. Indoor air quality may be affected by many factors excluding, but not limited to, more loosely sealed buildings, the use of air purifiers and other pollutant sources (for example, room air fresheners), the use of various chemicals for pesticide management and cleaning, and finally, the use of synthetic building materials and furnishings. In recent years, people have become more aware of potential health and comfort problems that may be associated with poor indoor air quality. It is partly due to the move to more tightly sealed buildings, the implementation of energy conservation programs, and the growing use of laser printers, photocopiers, and other sources of indoor air contamination. Greater general awareness of environmental issues may also play a part. Most IAQ complaints from building occupants are related to a respiratory headache, irritation, odors, or fatigue. These concerns may be associated with chemical vapors, dust generated in the work environment, contaminants associated with fungal growth (mold), materials infiltrating from outside sources (such as pollen or engine exhaust), or other factors such as elevated carbon dioxide levels. This handbook aims to turn the attention to these subjects and to promote methods and technologies to reduce poor indoor air quality and to distribute outdoor air throughout the building, remove contaminants and odors, and control the indoor temperature and humidity. The information in this guide will help to maintain good indoor air quality in a building, prevent indoor air quality problems, and correct issues that may arise. It will also help to understand the indoor air quality requirements. The structure of this text allows for flexibility in course content and design. It may be used equally well either as a textbook for students or a handbook for environmental consultants, mechanical engineers, building occupants, labor unions and suppliers.

Wer im Büro arbeitet, verbringt mindestens ein Drittel seiner Lebenszeit in diesen Räumen. Die Planung von Büro- und Verwaltungsgebäuden kann daher viel zur Zufriedenheit und zum Wohlbefinden der zukünftigen Nutzer beitragen. In dem Buch werden die gesundheitsrelevanten Faktoren betrachtet, die in Büro- und Verwaltungsgebäuden auf Menschen wirken und daher in der Planung besonderes Augenmerk verdienen. Dabei orientieren sich die Autoren an einem Gesundheitsbegriff, wie ihn die Weltgesundheitsorganisation definiert: Demnach umfasst Gesundheit sowohl mentales als auch soziales und physisches Wohlbefinden und geht damit weit über die in gesetzlichen Normen und Richtlinien festgeschriebenen Faktoren hinaus.In dem Band setzen sich Architekten und Designer, Mediziner und Arbeitswissenschaftler mit allen Fragen der Innenraumgestaltung unter gesundheitsrelevanten Aspekten auseinander: Welche Rolle spielt die Farbgestaltung, welche Bedeutung haben Licht, Luft und Geräusche? Wie siehteine bedarfsgerechte Gebäudetechnik aus und wie wird die Büroeinrichtung adäquat gestaltet? Welche medizinischen und hygienischen Aspekte sind zu beachten? Wie können Büros unter dem Aspekt der Work-Life-Balance gestaltet werden und wie verändert sich das Büro im Zuge der Digitalisierung? Das Buch dient als Leitfaden, der kapitelweise bei der Planung von gesundheitsförderlichen Büroräumen angewendet werden kann – je nach Interessenlage der Leser. Auftretende Probleme werden anhand von Beispielen diskutiert, Checklisten vereinfachen die Planung und Umsetzung. Der Leitfaden richtet sich an Bauherren, Architekten, Ingenieure, aber auch Rechtsanwälte, Psychologen und Mediziner sowie an Hochschulangehörige im Bereich Wirtschafts- und Ingenieurwissenschaften.

The impact of building materials and construction methods on the health and wellbeing of occupants is often underestimated. This book is an essential guide to understanding and avoiding hazardous materials and poor air quality in buildings. The author covers a range of issues beginning with an explanation of how buildings work and how this influences the health of occupants and users. The text covers: Ventilation, air conditioning and indoor air quality Damp and mould Asthma and respiratory problems Cancer and endocrine disorders Radiation and radon Hazardous building materials used in construction Indoor air quality and emissions Ecological alternatives and approaches and remedies for ‘sick'buildings The book also guides the reader through the confusing world of regulations, EU and international guidelines and certifications, and provides a critical analysis of different theories of healthy buildings and philosophies.Written in a clear and accessible style, this book provides indispensable advice and information to anyone wishing to better understand healthy buildings and materials. It is essential reading for architects, surveyors, public health professionals, facilities managers and environmentalists.

The construction industry is bombarded with ever-changing building materials—components of which are more and more difficult, if not impossible, to identify. Building material emissions have been implicated as a major source of indoor air pollution, and toxic gases, often unidentified, are generated in building fires. Building Materials: Product Emission and Combustion Health Hazards undertakes the task of identifying building materials emission and combustion health hazards. This practical guide introduces the complex world of polymers commonly used in building materials along with plasticizers and additives that are not regulated by OSHA. It also explores the topic of building materials as they relate to function and their emissions/combustion products along with thermal decomposition and combustion products as they relate to fire first responders. Engaging environmental professionals, construction management firms, architects, first respondents, and students, this valuable reference delivers a comprehensive spectrum of knowledge needed to face the challenges of managing building materials in the twenty-first century. Awareness is the first line of defense!

Lösemittel, Geruch, Schimmel, Formaldehyd und Elektrosmog – das Leben in geschlossenen Räumen wird gesundheitlich immer bedenklicher. Durch steigende Dämmstandards werden Gebäude dichter ausgeführt und es kommt häufig zu problematischen Schadstoffkonzentrationen. Aufgrund steigender Bewusstseinsbildung durch die Medien fordern Verbraucher und Investoren garantierte Eigenschaften. „Mit Sicherheit gesund bauen“ beschreibt die aktuelle bauliche Situation und die daraus resultierenden Anforderungen für die Zukunft der Bauwirtschaft. Die Autoren lassen dabei die rechtlichen Aspekte nicht außer Acht. Bauliche Hinweise für eine Planung und Umsetzung gesunder Gebäude werden anhand von Tools und Best Practice- und Worst Case-Projekten anschaulich dargestellt. Analog zum Bauprozess werden von der Planung bis zur Nutzung praktikable Lösungen präsentiert.

Some educational professionals have suggested that so-called green schools would result in superior performance and increased health for students and teachers. While there is no commonly accepted definition of a green school, there are a number of attributes that such schools appear to have: low cost operations, security, healthy and comfortable, and an environment that enhances learning are among them. To determine the health and productivity benefits of green schools, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the Barr and Kendall Foundations, the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, and the U.S. Green Building Council asked the NRC to examine available studies about the effects of green schools on student learning and teacher productivity. This interim report presents an evaluation of evidence for relationships between various health, learning, and productivity outcomes and five characteristics of green schools: the building envelope, ventilation, lighting, acoustics, and condition. The final report will present evaluations for additional characteristics, a synthesis of the results of all assessments, and promising areas of research.

An account of sick building syndrome and the large number of historical conditions--office worker protests, feminism, ventilation engineering, toxicology, etc.--that coalesced to give this phenomenon real existence.