Many of us (myself included) spend a lot of time indoors. When we are not at home, we are at work. Even when we are not at work or at home, we are usually in some kind of indoor environment. The problem is that we are unaware of how these spaces impact our health.
While plenty of people are spending more time at home now more than ever, how confident are we that our homes are really that healthy? Are you sure that your space is in perfect condition to ensure your wellbeing?
This is where the importance of healthy building solutions and home assessments come in.
Take this example. Imagine you have a carpet that becomes damp after a water leak. After a few days, it starts smelling. If you think it will go away after some time, you may get used to the smell and in a few weeks, mould starts growing on it.
You think you are just burdened by the smell of a wet carpet. In reality, you are being exposed to mould, which can cause a number of health issues. These issues usually go unaddressed until you have your home assessed by a building biologist.
A quick Google search on healthy building solutions and its impact on health will direct you to many published studies. These studies are proof of how our built environment impacts our health.
So, how can you ensure that your spaces protect your wellbeing? Which healthy building solutions are useful?
The nine foundations of healthy buildings
A team of researchers at Harvard University’s School of Public Health identified a few factors that make up foundations of healthy buildings. Accordingly, these factors can improve how healthy a building really is. These include:
- Ventilation
- Air quality
- Thermal health
- Moisture
- Dust and pests
- Safety and security
- Water quality
- Noise
- Lighting and views
This study reveals how each of these factors is tied to healthy building solutions and the underlying science behind them. It also explores how our health can be affected when these factors aren’t fulfilled.
Healthy building solutions will, ultimately, help you improve your ventilation, air quality, thermal health, water quality, safety and security, lighting and views, and reduce moisture, dust and pests, and noise in your home or workplace.
Reduce the impact of the electro-climate in your space
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are unseen and invasive phenomena that affect our health.
Identified as a clinical syndrome by the WHO, electromagnetic hypersensitivity can be the result of long-term exposure to EMFs. Given the number of devices we use on a daily basis, it’s not surprising that exposure to EMFs is impacting our health!
In this industry, reducing this exposure is one of the main healthy building solutions that can help you create healthier and safer living environments. I have explained, in detail, the potential health effects of exposure to EMFs and how to ensure EMF protection in your home in some of my previous posts.
To reduce your exposure, start by keeping devices that produce EMFs at a distance. You should also avoid keeping things like your Wi-Fi router inside your bedroom. It’s not possible to cut out our usage of technology completely, but we can reduce our exposure to some of its harmful effects.
Make use of healthy building solutions to safeguard your physical and mental wellbeing
Healthy building solutions ensure that your living space has the right conditions to improve your physical and mental health. These services aim to help you improve your living conditions indoors, whether it’s your home or workplace.
Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about my services and how I can help you lead a healthier, more enriching life.