What is the building biology way of building?

Ultimately, building biology has the same goals as everyone else who wants to enjoy a healthy living space, which should be taken for granted today. We want to create living and work environments that allow us to stay healthy, provide a comfortable indoor climate and design, while being affordable, achieving the best possible environmental performance, and enabling us to live well together. This sounds reasonable and simple, but it is complex and requires good cooperation between all parties involved in the building process.

About 40 years ago, the 25 Guiding Principles of Building Biology were published and they are still valid today. What are the core criteria?

All the core criteria of the holistic principles of building biology are explained in 25 short and easy to understand sentences. Topics covered include: healthy indoor climate, thermal and acoustic comfort, human-based design, sustainable environmental performance, and ecologically sound and socially connected communities.

What are the biggest challenges in building and renovating according to the principles of building biology?

I see challenges in a positive light. Without challenges there would be no innovation, and without innovation there would be no progress… But back to your original question: Building and renovating according to the principles of building biology to create healthy buildings requires a holistic approach because there are many different requirements that need to be reconciled. This is no easy task in an environment dominated by linear and specialized thinking and action. That is why it is so important to have someone with experience in building biology who can look at the project as a whole and oversee the design and construction management. If you know how to do it, building biology is simple, and that is the way it should be. Complicated construction tends to be error prone and expensive, and building biology follows sustainable principles to create durable and affordable buildings.

Many people have allergies. How does healthy building deal with that?

Building biology professionals who specialize in healthy indoor air quality and air pollutants and their adverse health effects can be very helpful, not only when people have already developed allergies and other illnesses, but also for preventive care. What is good for some may be a problem for others. Ideally, a coordinated approach is used, with building biology testing specialists working together with health care professionals, including environmental physicians, and the tradespeople who do the work.

Sometimes it is due to the location, sometimes due to other circumstances, sometimes due to the budget that a house cannot be built to meet all 25 Guiding Principles of Building Biology and be 100% healthy, ecological, and sustainable. In which areas is it easiest to compromise on healthy building?

In our 25 Guiding Principles of Building Biology, we say: “In real life, not all criteria can always be met. The goal, therefore, is to optimize each criterion within the limits of what is feasible.” In other words, it’s about finding the best possible compromise in each individual case. However, experienced building biology professionals quickly recognize what is important and what is the right decision in each individual case.

Is a house built with natural, renewable materials as durable as a conventionally built house?

A house built according to the principles of building biology should be as durable as possible for ecological reasons alone. Building biology is also about quality, not quantity, and quality, when properly implemented, always means “good value” in the medium to long term, so it is worth its price. Here are two examples: Solid wood flooring is more expensive up front. But in the medium term it can save a lot of money and also increase the value of the house in which it is installed. This is because such a floor can last 100 years or more, while a cheap laminate floor often becomes unsightly after 10 years and therefore needs to be replaced. The situation is similar if you compare, for example, well-made furniture with furniture from a furniture discounter, etc.

What is particularly important in terms of maintenance, servicing, and care for a house built according to the principles of building biology? Does this mean more work than in a conventional building?

There is no general answer to this question. You can only compare specific designs. However, good environmental performance also requires that long-term maintenance be minimal and inexpensive. If the materials and surfaces recommended by building biology are professionally maintained, they will not require more maintenance. However, natural materials such as solid wood, lime plaster, or natural textiles develop a patina over time that many people find beautiful and pleasant. So you don’t have to keep cleaning, repainting, or varnishing everything with aggressive and/or toxic products.

What developments and/or trends do you see in the near future in healthy building? For example, what materials and technologies will be important?

I would like to highlight the following current trends:

Energy efficiency building standards are now well established, such as the KfW Efficiency House 55 (Germany) or the Passive House. But building biology professionals want and demand more: “Passive houses, yes, but the building biology way.” It is not enough just to design for low heating requirements without thinking about creating a healthy and comfortable living environment. Also, all the energy used in the production of the building materials must o be taken into account and kept low, so as not to have a poor overall environmental performance. Many buildings today consume more energy in their manufacturing phase than they will use in heating and/or cooling over their lifetime. Building materials that can be manufactured and installed with little energy and that also contribute to a healthy indoor environment will therefore become more common.

Currently, many buildings are built that are primarily inexpensive and functional, but they seem uninspired and have a certain “coldness” about them. I sense a countermovement. More and more builders and homeowners, as well as tenants, want to enjoy a personal and pleasant atmosphere in their homes, which can only be achieved with good craftsmanship and natural materials.

Partly as a result of high real estate prices, there is a trend towards Tiny Living and Tiny Houses, but also towards building and living in communities, such as multi-generational houses. This is also a welcome trend in terms of sustainability and as part of socially responsible and affordable building.

I don’t see any clear trends in building services systems at the moment: some people want comprehensive high-tech concepts, while others deliberately opt for a low-tech approach in order to reduce the use of technology to a minimum. I tend to advise people to “downsize” or use as little technology as possible in building services systems and to use renewable energy.

Thank you for talking to us.

The interview was conducted by Helena Hick, Berlin, Germany.