70 Building sustainably means taking care of people’s living environment. Their planet, of course, but also their housing, workplace, school, etc. Howcanwe build spaces that take the health andwell-being of their occupants into consideration? This approach involves occupants and professionals alike. An overview. Since the 19th-century hygienist movement, questions of health, well‑being and comfort in terms of habitat have remained to the fore in the modern age, with varying degrees of success. Old housing, which is sometimes poorly designed or unsanitary, can prove to be a hostile environment, even though it is supposed to protect us. When you bear in mind that we spend more than 80% of our time in enclosed spaces, the consequences are decidedly alarming. “The main pathologies associated with housing are respiratory diseases and, far behind, skin diseases linked to a lack of hygiene due to insufficient access to water,” explains Dr. Christine Delebarre‑Sauvage, Head of the Allergology Department at Saint‑Vincent de Paul Hospital in Lille (France) and ARCAA (Association of Clinical Research in Allergology and Asthmology) member. Four million people are thought to be asthmatic in France alone. However, health and well-being in housing are not limited to combating pathogenic agents. Many other irritants have an impact on our physical and mental health. Heading the list of urban concerns, noise, HEALTH & WELL-BEING The other major issue at stake for sustainable construction DISCOVER the full article in our online magazine Constructing a sustainable future SPoTLIGHT
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