For a thoughtfully designed indoor environment
INDOOR AIR QUALITY – INFORMED ASSESSMENT
Building biology studies how buildings affect the people who use them. It applies this knowledge to building design and construction, taking account of emissions, materials and effects on the environment.
Its aim is to support healthy buildings and living environments by considering physiological, psychological, architectural and physical factors, as well as the interactions between the building, its occupants and its surroundings. These principles apply to homes, schools, hospitals and nurseries.
The physician Hubert Palm is considered the founder of Baubiologie (building biology) in Germany—a precursor to ecological building—having gained prominence through numerous lectures in the 1960s. His book Das gesunde Haus (The Healthy House) is a seminal work in the field. Pioneering projects and the first architectural circles focused on building biology emerged in the early 1970s, particularly in southern Germany; these included the Institute for Building Biology in Rosenheim and the Bund für Architektur & Baubiologie (BAB), the predecessor to the Bund Architektur & Umwelt (B.A.U.) in Germany.
Building biology technicians conduct investigations into factors known to be harmful—such as pollutants and mould—as well as physical parameters like alternating electric and magnetic fields, electromagnetic waves, electrosmog, and noise. Their services are sought primarily by individuals suffering from electrosensitivity, multiple chemical sensitivity, or other environmentally induced health issues.
It goes without saying: we all desire a living environment that has an exclusively positive impact on our well-being—a comfortable indoor environment with attention to emissions, materials and measurable environmental factors. The field of building biology addresses the wide range of factors that influence human health and well-being. It gathers knowledge about these factors to ensure that building materials and construction methods align with the latest findings. The IBR (Institute for Building Biology in Rosenheim) tests materials and awards its seal of approval to those you can trust; it also provides advice on all aspects of healthy living environments (building biology).
Note: Certification confirms that a product met the requirements of the applicable testing programme at the time of testing. It does not provide a comprehensive assessment of a product’s suitability for health or of the health effects of an entire indoor environment.
Testing building products against published criteria since 1982.
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