Green operation

AIR QUALITY

Air quality greatly affects our health and feeling of comfort inside buildings. As with thermal quality, there is a close connection with the operation of the building, which should ultimately save energy. Building automation is a big help in optimising air quality.

Basic qualitative parameters include:

• CO2 concentration
• optimal humidity 30% – 60%
• dust particles
• VOC (volatile organic compounds)
• total amount of biological particles
• total amount of fungus and mould

THERMAL QUALITY

Thermal comfort is one of the most important aspects that determine the overall quality of the internal environment of buildings and significantly determine the productivity and health of their inhabitants. Maintaining optimal thermal quality is also closely related to high-quality and efficient operation of buildings, which helps save energy.

Although thermal comfort is based on a subjective assessment, when we describe how satisfied we are with the thermal environment, the optimal indoor temperature should be 22 degrees Celsius during the heating season, and 26 degrees Celsius in the summer. If we deviate from these temperatures by more than three degrees, the concentration and overall comfort of building users declines rapidly for more than 5% of building users. If we maintain temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius in the heating season and 26 degrees Celcius in the summer, only 5% of building users feel dissatisfaction with the thermal quality of the environment.

Thermal comfort is not just about temperature, air flow is equally important. People should not be exposed to direct air flow from air conditioning or drafts, which causes diseases of the musculoskeletal and respiratory systems.

LIGHTING QUALITY

Light is a fundamental factor for life that we cannot live without. It affects our performance, health and overall mental wellbeing. Daylight controls our biorhythms and the release of hormones in our body, therefore affecting almost all vital processes. In other words, our body uses light as a nutrient for metabolic processes, just like water or food.

But it’s not just the amount of light that matters but also the kind of light – whether it’s natural or artificial. The best option is for building users to have access to daylight, the colour spectrum of which changes throughout during the day, unlike artificial light. It is these changes in the colour spectrum that affect our biorhythm, telling us when it is time to sleep and when to be active. If we don’t get enough daylight, it negatively affects our sleep and mood. Poor quality lighting also causes eye strain and headaches and overall fatigue. Good lighting, on the other hand, results in higher performance and a reduced error rate, prevents work accidents and lowers the rate of incapacity for work.

But sometimes there isn’t enough natural light, or there is too much and it needs to be shaded. That is why it is necessary to find an optimal setting that does not result in insufficient lighting, over-lighting or glare from reflective surfaces that is bothersome.

ACOUSTICS

Acoustic comfort is another requirement for a healthy indoor environment. For millennia, human beings have evolved in nature, where we used our hearing for orientation and survival, and we still automatically focus our attention in the direction of noises we hear. Noise is a significant stressor for building users; it makes us feel uncomfortable in buildings, affecting our concentration and error rate. Excessive noise can also cause insomnia, headaches, vomiting, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, mood swings, and even impotence.

What is noise? It is often a subjective feeling, but it is also defined by a government regulation that sets a noise limit of 50 dB for workplaces where creative or mental work that requires attention and concentration is performed. A special decree also regulates the noise limit in educational facilities according to their purpose.

Are you disturbed by noise and you want to resolve the situation? It is naturally best to plan the acoustics in the very first stages of the project, but if this was not the case, there are also options that can be implemented later. Some solutions include suspended acoustic ceilings and acoustic wall panels, as well as curtains, plants or carpets. A quality solution will help improve perceived comfort in the environment, remove echo and improve speech intelligibility.

ERGONOMICS

Ergonomics and an associated active design play a major role in a healthy indoor environment. In simple terms, the goal of ergonomics is the optimisation of a person’s position in a building so that they can have a comfortable position and perform at their best.

Ergonomically designed buildings generally take into account the distances, heights and angles of each user. Poor positions overload the back, neck and shoulder muscles, causing pain in the cervical spine or the lower back. Properly ergonomically designed spaces should allow their users to dynamically change positions. This supports the metabolism and prevents long-term unilateral loading, improving health, well-being and performance.

Correct ergonomic solutions view the person as the true user of the space; this primarily means that they take into account the biomechanics of the human body and adapt the space to it. Long-term research shows that diseases of the spine and muscles are the most common causes of incapacity for work. Ergonomics therefore plays a significant role in work productivity. Ergonomic optimisation of your work puts you on the right track to a healthier and more productive office.

BIOPHILIA

Biophilic architecture is the connection of buildings and people with nature, which generally promotes well-being, reduces the risk of depression, boosts energy and affects the immune system – patients spend 8.5% less time in hospitals if they have rooms with a view of the park. In addition to views of nature, biophilia is the use of natural materials and plants both inside and outside buildings. Biophilia supports our cognitive system, affecting creativity, concentration and the quality of work with information at work and school – employees experience less stress; absenteeism in buildings without elements of nature is 10% higher. The amount of daylight, the openness of the space, natural irregular shapes, colours and smells are also important factors. Research shows that students learn 20% faster when they have natural lighting in their classrooms. Biophilia demonstrates our connection with nature; the use of natural materials, such as wood, in interiors has a naturally pleasing effect on humans, and it is also non-toxic and recyclable.

WELLBEING

This category of a healthy indoor environment is very complex and in many ways intertwined with other categories. Wellbeing is a set of individual influences that make people feel good and satisfied inside buildings, which promotes physical and mental health. Wellbeing helps shape the spatial concept of a building, the interior design and its colour scheme. Active design, namely how the building supports movement, also contributes to the wellbeing of building users. Healthy eating and public amenities near the building are also important.

LOCATION

The location of a building also has an effect on a healthy indoor environment. Public amenities, services in the area, good transport accessibility, and plenty of greenery are important factors. If a building is well placed within a city, it not only increases user comfort, it also reduces its carbon footprint.