The 4 essential pillars of a healthy home.

The pandemic has increased concern for our health, and for the quality of the interior spaces in which we live day after day. More and more hours are spent in our homes, and in recent years, this new way of living has fueled the resurgence of a new concept, healthy homes.

Sustainable, ecological architecture, passive houses... are terms that are automatically related to the health of the Earth and climate change. However, this type of construction is not only good for the planet, but also for the people who inhabit it.

Buildings have the ability to influence the physical and mental health of their occupants., inciting in them different moods. The quality of water and indoor air, humidity, dust, and thermal, acoustic, and light comfort are some of the factors to take into account in a healthy home.

Living in a healthy home helps us rest better, improves our sleep, and consequently improves our motivation to face a new day.

COMFORT IN A HEALTHY HOME

The comfort It is a quite subjective term and depends a lot on the metabolism and habits of the people. The feeling of comfort is determined by the temperature, the humidity relative and the speed of air currents. A home with optimal levels of comfort will favor the well-being of its inhabitants.

This desire to achieve high levels of comfort entails applying basic principles of passive architecture in the initial phases of the project. key concepts such as light supply and ventilation.

The control of solar radiation through sun protection is vital to regulate the interior temperature of the house, even more so in hot climates.

On the other hand, the use of hygroscopic materials will help to naturally regulate environmental humidity, keeping it at adequate levels between 40 and 60%.

Good ventilation will also favor maintaining a healthy environment inside the house.

¿Qué debemos tener en cuenta para una vivienda saludable?

1. INDOOR AIR IN HEALTHY HOMES

Indoor air is essential in a home, being one of the most influential factors in our health, since it is the air we breathe most of the day.

Its quality is measured by these 4 factors: 

Air quality. Although it may seem incredible, the indoor air of our homes can have higher levels of pollution than the outdoor air. We can distinguish numerous foci of toxicity within a home: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fungi, mold, dust mites, fuels from chimneys, gas heating or air conditioning.

Among other solutions, the use of ecological paints, tapes and glues without chemicals, or the placement of purifying plants, will contribute to maintaining clean air free of pollutants and allergens in our home. And in consequence, we will feel better, and we will rest better.

daily ventilation. Daily regulated ventilation is essential, and in many homes in our country, this guideline is not carried out correctly. A morning refreshment of stale air lowers maximum CO levels₂reached during the night. It must not be forgotten that human beings expel CO₂ when breathing, and that we usually sleep with the windows closed.

ambient humidity. Inadequate levels of relative humidity inside a house can have direct consequences on our health. When the indoor environment is too dry, our mucous membranes dry out, reducing our natural defenses and exposing our body to the entry of viruses and bacteria. On the other hand, when the environment is too humid, the appearance of fungi, molds and mites that are so harmful to the respiratory system is favored.

Certain types of materials help the hygrothermal regulation of a space. These are breathable and hygroscopic materials with the capacity to absorb and release moisture, such as natural plasters.

Temperature. Thermal comfort largely depends on the indoor temperature. The feeling of comfort will improve if we avoid the appearance of cold surfaces, both on walls and windows, using adequate insulation thicknesses, and quality carpentry and glass. In addition, it is convenient to avoid large temperature differences between rooms with different orientations.

2. NATURAL LIGHTING IN HEALTHY HOMES

Light is vital to architecture. The famous architect Le Corbusier said: "Architecture is the wise, correct and magnificent game of volumes under light...". Without light there would be no architecture.

It is proven that natural light influences brain neurotransmitters, affecting our state of mind. A house with a good exposure, transmits energy, well-being and positivism.

In addition, solar radiation is a free energy source that we must take advantage of and control. Especially in hot climates like ours. In winter, the sun's rays provide us with the free energy we need to heat our homes. On the other hand, in summer, sun protection systems are essential to maintain adequate indoor temperature levels.

3. CORRECT VENTILATION 

As we have said before, good ventilation is important to maintain clean air. Ideally, north-south cross ventilation will spontaneously cause natural air currents as a consequence of the temperature difference between the two slopes.

Other active solutions, such as ceiling fans, increase the feeling of comfort, using very little energy.

Passive houses usually install a controlled mechanical ventilation system, which includes an intake of fresh air from outside. This duct system continuously renews the air in the house, without the need to open the windows. In addition, the stale air continuously passes through a series of filters that retain all harmful particles, thus ensuring continuous air purification.

4. ECOLOGICAL AND BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS

The use of materials with low environmental impact is especially important in a healthy home. Following the premises of sustainable architecture, the materials must be free of toxins and contaminants, and those that are renewable or reusable should be prioritized. Therefore, natural materials and insulation such as clay, wood, cork or mineral wool are common in healthy houses. Materials that throughout their useful life absorb more CO2 than they emit.

A term that we will have heard if we begin to familiarize ourselves with this area, is "materials free of VOC's" (volatile organic compounds). These compounds, harmful to health, contain toxic chemicals that are released into the indoor air when they dry, such as paints.

It is important to bet on the use of natural materials and avoid products that emit harmful substances into the air in inhabited spaces.

¿Qué es el feng shui aplicado a una casa saludable?

Surely you have ever heard of Feng Shui. It is a Chinese art, an ancient philosophy applied to the design of interior spaces, whose main objective is to help us feel good. It is based on the search for balance and harmony between spaces, allowing positive energy to flow without barriers.

One of the most important aspects for feng shui is order and cleanliness. Enacts the removal of all unused objects, which hinder movement through the house. A clean and tidy house allows positive energy to flow more easily.

Two other essential aspects of good feng shui are natural light and good ventilation. The sun brings life to the house, and the ventilation renews the impurities that accumulate in closed spaces. Good lighting and ventilation will make our house a healthier place.

Regarding the materials, we will opt for those from nature. Wood, clay, natural fabrics are materials that are frequently used in designs based on this philosophy.

Taking the bedroom as an application example, this art promulgates the placement of the head of the bed to the north. This premise is related to the magnetic orientation of the earth (north-south). In addition, all kinds of devices that create electromagnetic fields, such as televisions or mobile phones, should be avoided.

As you can see, everything is focused on the user of the home, creating spaces whose objective is the well-being of its occupants.

CONCLUSION

There is nothing more important than health, without health we are nothing, we would not exist. Everything is secondary when we suffer health problems. So let's take care of her!

For years society has ignored all those parameters that bring health to our home, and consequently to ourselves. We have lived ignoring the quality of the air in our homes, we are not concerned if we have enough natural light, if we ventilate enough...

But this is changing, and people are making more and more efforts to improve the indoor air that we breathe for a good part of the day. Without being obsessed, small gestures can improve our daily lives and our health. Take care of your health, yours and that of your family.

(Read article Ecological houses)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

– ecological architecture. An illustrated manual. Editorial G.G.

– Healthy house. How to make your home a healthier environment. Elisabeth Silvestre and Mariano Bueno

PHOTOGRAPHS

– Guilhem Guinot – Instagram

– https://www.freepik.es/foto-gratis/planta-fondo-arena-playa-concepto-salud-bienestar_17112451.htm

– https://www.barnacork.com