Design for Health
Design and building professionals: you’re on call. Health is not just about the doctors and nurses; interior spaces, buildings, and communities have far-reaching impacts on wellness. Design choices can:
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help prevent mold and moisture issues
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provide fresh air
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ensure access to clean drinking water
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prevent exposure to toxic chemicals
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encourage fitness
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support healthy circadian rhythms
Too often, though, our buildings do the opposite. These articles lay out best practices for health-focused design, based on sound scientific research.
Design for Health
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
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What’s an HPD? Health Product Declaration FAQs
Feature Short
We answer frequently asked questions on HPDs, which allow manufacturers to disclose product ingredients and hazards.
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How to Access the Full Power of Biophilia
Feature Article
People wither physically and mentally without nature. Biophilic design is a remedy and a foundation for regenerative design all at the same time.
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Lighting Design for Health and Sustainability: A Guide for Architects
Feature Article
A report providing architects guidance on how to design sustainable lighting that supports health and wellness while reducing energy use.
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Affordable Housing and Sustainable Design: The Goals Are Aligned
Feature Article
Green building is not just for those with means.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Neuroarchitecture: Thinking with Our Buildings
Primer
Can the fields of cognitive science and neuroscience improve the built environment? Those studying neuroarchitecture think so.
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Sitting Is the New Smoking: Fad or Fact?
Primer
Active design is looking less like a luxury and more like a public health imperative.
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Circadian Rhythm and the Role of Lighting
Primer
LEDs with color tuning are now being sold, but do we really have the light formula for waking us up and putting us to sleep?
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Understanding GreenScreen and List Translator Benchmarks
Primer
The Health Product Declaration and some other programs ask for GreenScreen benchmarks. What does that actually mean?
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Antimicrobials in Building Products: the COVID-19 Edition
Product Review
Cleaning with soap and water is still the best defense against COVID-19 virus and other pathogens. Antimicrobials are not the answer.
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Do Living Walls Make for Cleaner Indoor Air?
Product Review
Nedlaw Living Wall Biofilters do more than most green walls to remove VOCs, but it’s unclear that they provide a true fresh air supply.
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How Low-Flow Can You Go with Plumbing Fixtures?
Product Review
BuildingGreen-Approved toilets, urinals, showerheads, and faucets automatically meet CALGreen and LEED v4 water-efficiency standards.
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At David Edward, Material Transparency Is a Given
Product Review
Tracking materials is standard practice at David Edward, giving the company an edge in a market where transparency is a priority.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Aerosols and Micro-droplets: HVAC Approaches During COVID-19
News Analysis
Good indoor air quality will help if SARS-CoV-2 is airborne, and tried-and-true measures can get us there.
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IMMUNE Building Standard: The Latest COVID Response
News Brief
Entering a crowded field of building re-entry solutions, IMMUNE is an open-source standard. -
Approaches to Building Re-Entry During COVID-19
News Analysis
LEED, WELL, and AIA are all offering strategies for re-occupying buildings during COVID-19 without unduly compromising occupant health.
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ASHRAE Releases COVID-19 Recommendations
News Brief
ASHRAE offers guidance on how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through HVAC systems.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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We Spend 90% of Our Time Indoors. Says Who?
Blog Post
Where the oft-quoted statistic comes from, and what the underlying study says about health in buildings
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The Green Building Movement Has Lost One of Its Unsung Heroes
Op-Ed
Kirsten Childs 1944 – 2016
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Opinion: Chemical Ingredients in Building Products—What Do You Really Need to Know?
Op-Ed
HPDs can’t be used in isolation to make decisions about the safety and environmental performance of a product.
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Finding HPDs: How We Do It At BuildingGreen
Op-Ed
There are several ways you can find Health Product Declarations. Here’s a look at them, including what BuildingGreen offers.
Learning Resources
A wide range of education options, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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How to Access the Full Power of Biophilia
Feature Article
People wither physically and mentally without nature. Biophilic design is a remedy and a foundation for regenerative design all at the same time.
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Lighting Design for Health and Sustainability: A Guide for Architects
Feature Article
A report providing architects guidance on how to design sustainable lighting that supports health and wellness while reducing energy use.
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Affordable Housing and Sustainable Design: The Goals Are Aligned
Feature Article
Green building is not just for those with means.
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The Sound of Sustainability: Acoustics in High-Performance Design
Feature Article
Acoustic performance is often overlooked by human-centered design. A holistic approach shows how to navigate the complexities of “sustainable acoustics.”
Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
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With GOOP, Green Building Explores New Depths
April Fools
Gwyneth Paltrow’s offering to the sustainability world rewards projects for venerating the “cradle of civilization.”
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New Standard Emphasizes American Well-Being
April Fools
The LOFE2 health standard comes from the creators of Green Globes.
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WELL Building Auditor Will Drink Your Milkshake
April Fools
The WELL standard for healthy spaces and lifestyles is backed by onsite auditing, but some occupants would prefer to slowly kill themselves in peace.
