Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology pp 10260–10285Cite as

Sustainable and Healthy Built Environment

  • Reference work entry

Definition of the Subject

While sustainable design is focused on reducing the environmental footprint, the resources consumed, and the waste produced, it is also critically linked to our health. Design decision making for sustainability – land use, building massing and enclosure, lighting systems, mechanical systems, interior systems, building operation and management – can not only reduce our environmental footprint, it can and must enhance our visual, aural, dermal, musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory, reproductive, and mental health. The challenge is to explore the linkages between critical design decisions, from land use to material and system design to building maintenance and operations, to critical health outcomes. Based on years of gathering emerging laboratory, field, and epidemiological case studies, the Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics at Carnegie Mellon...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   6,999.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

BIDS™:

The Building Investment Decision Support tool developed by the Center for Building Performance at Carnegie Mellon University to both assemble research from around the world linking design decisions to performance outcomes and to create a “triple bottom line” calculator to support changes in design decision making.

Biophilia:

Introduced by E.O. Wilson, the biophilia hypothesis suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems that must be met by buildings that ensure critical connections.

Cornell medical index:

An index and questionnaire created by Cornell in 1949 to consistently collect the breadth of pertinent medical and psychiatric data on patients given limited physician time.

Epidemiological case studies:

Quantitative studies of a group of individuals in controlled environmental conditions with controlled changes in those conditions – interventions that may be evident, blind or double blind – with statistical analysis to demonstrate linkages between the physical environment and outcomes.

Evidenced-based design:

Use of laboratory and field gathered evidence in design decision making. Evidenced-based design was adopted by the Center for Health Design to improve patient health and safety outcomes through improvements in design.

LEED™, BREEAM™, Greenstar™, CASBEE™:

Rigorous, voluntary sustainability standards developed in the USA, UK, Australia, and Japan, respectively, that span land use and site, energy and atmosphere, water, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality goals.

Mixed mode or hybrid HVAC:

An approach to space conditioning that combines natural ventilation from operable windows or vents with mechanical heating, cooling, and ventilation systems (HVAC).

Precautionary principle:

Adopted by the European Community and several nations around the world, the precautionary principle argues that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, even in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those taking the action.

Triple bottom line:

Expanding the criteria for evaluating a project’s success from economic benefits alone to include ecological and social cost benefits, adopted by the United Nations and others to ensure public sector decision making reflects full cost accounting, and colloquialized as “people, planet, and profit.”

Bibliography

  1. Amick B, Robertson M, DeRango K, Bazzani L, Moore A, Rooney T et al (2003) Effect of office ergonomics intervention on reducing musculoskeletal symptoms. Spine 28(24):2706–2711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. AONE AO (2002) Acute care hospital survey of RN vacancies and turnover rates in 2000.American organization of nurse executives

    Google Scholar 

  3. Beauchemin KM, Hays P (1996) Sunny hospital rooms expedite recovery from severe and refractory depression. J Affect Disord 40:49–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Benedetti F, Colombo C, Barbini B, Campori E, Smeraldi E (2001) Morning sunlight reduces length of hospitalization in bipolar depression. J Affect Disord 62:221–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bourbeau J, Brisson C, Allaire S (1997) Prevalence of the sick building syndrome symptoms in office workers before and six months and three years after being exposed to a building with an improved ventilation system. Occup Environ Med 54:49–53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Brundage J, McNeil R, Lednar W, Smith D, Miller R (1988) Building-associated risk of febrile acute respiratory diseases in army trainees. JAMA 259(14):2108–2112

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bullough JD, Rea M (2006) Of mice and women: light as a circadian stimulus in breast cancer research. Cancer Causes Control 17(4):375–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. D (2002) National compensation survey: occupational wages in the United States 2001. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor

    Google Scholar 

  9. Çakir AE, Çakir G (1998) Light and health: influences of lighting on health and well-being of office and computer workers. Ergonomic, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  10. Catlin T, Simoes E, Brownson R (2003) Environmental and policy factors associated with overweight among adults in Missouri. Am J Health Promot 17(4):249–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. CBPD (n.d.) eBIDS – energy building investment building support. Retrieved from center for building performance and diagnostics; School of Architecture; Carnegie Mellon University. http://cbpd.arc.cmu.edu/ebids/pages/home.aspx. Accessed 27 Dec 2011

  12. Choi J (2005) Study of the relationship between indoor daylight environments and patient average length of stay (ALOS) in healthcare facilities. Unpublished master’s thesis, Department of Architecture, Texas A&M University. College Station

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cornell University Medical College, C. U (1949) A brief history of the cornell medical index. Retrieved from Weill Cornell Medical Library. http://library.med.cornell.edu/About/cornellmedindex.html. Accessed 27 Dec 2011

  14. Deloitte and Touche D (2003) Employer health care strategy survey 2003

    Google Scholar 

  15. Dockery D, Pope C (1994) Acute respiratory effects of particulate air pollution. Annu Rev Public Health 15:107–132

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Drinka P, Krause P, Schilling M, Miller B, Shult P, Gravenstein S (1996) Report of an outbreak: nursing home architecture and influenza-A attack rates. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:910–913

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust K. F (2003) Employer health benefits: 2003 annual survey.Retrieved from Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust. http://ehbs.kff.org/. Accessed 27 Dec 2011

  18. Elkington J (1998) Cannibals with forks: the triple bottom line of 21st century business. New Society, Gabriola Island

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ewing R, Schmid T (2003) Relationship between urban sprawl and physical activity, obesity, and morbidity. Am J Health Promot 18(1):47–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ewing R, Schmid T, Killingsworth R, Zlot A, Raudenbush S (2003) Relationship between urban sprawl and physical activity, obesity, and morbidity. Am J Health Promot 18(1):47–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ewing R, Brownson RC, Berrigan AD (2006) Relationship between urban sprawl and weight of United States youth. Am J Prev Med 31(6):464–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Fisk W, Rosenfeld A (1997) Estimates of improved productivity and health from better indoor environments. Indoor Air 7:158–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Frank D, Andresen M, Schmid T (2004) Obesity relationships with community design, physical activity, and time spent in cars. Am J Prev Med 27(2):87–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Frumkin H (2002) Urban sprawl and public health. Public Health Rep 117(3):201–217

    Google Scholar 

  25. Garrett M, Hooper M, Hooper B (1996) Low levels of formaldehyde in residential homes and a correlation with asthma and allergy in children. In: Proceedings of the 7th International conference of indoor air quality and climate (Indoor Air996), vol 1, pp 617–622, Nagoya, Japan

    Google Scholar 

  26. Giles-Corti B, Macintyre S (2003) Environmental and lifestyle factors associated with overweight and obesity in Perth, Australia. Am J Health Promot 18(1):93–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U. D (1999) Preliminary economic analysis and initial regulatory flexibility analysis for the occupational safety and health administration’s proposed ergonomics programs standard (Chapter III–V and Appendix III-A, Scenario No. OGI14). US Department of Labor

    Google Scholar 

  28. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U. D (2006) Success with Ergonomics

    Google Scholar 

  29. Hedge A, Morimoto S, McCrobie D (1999) Effects of keyboard tray geometry on upper body posture and comfort. Ergonomics 42(10):1333–1349

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hemp P (2004) Presenteeism: at work – but out of it. Harv Bus Rev 82(10):49–58

    Google Scholar 

  31. Heschong Mahone Group (2003) Windows and offices: a study of office worker performance and the indoor environment. Program, funded by the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program

    Google Scholar 

  32. Ignatius EA (1994) The high cost of keyboard injuries. 12(3): 45–46

    Google Scholar 

  33. Jaakkola JJ (1995) Shared office space and the risk of the common cold. Eur J Epidemiol 11:213–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Jaakkola J, Miettinen P (1995) Ventilation rates in office buildings and sick building syndrome. Occup Environ Health 94(2):709–714

    Google Scholar 

  35. Jaakkola J, Tuomaala P, Seppanen O (1994) Textile wall materials and sick building syndrome. Arch Environ Health 49(3):175–182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Jaakkola JJ, Oie L, Nafstad P, Botten G, Samuelson SO, Magnus P (1999) Interior surface materials in the home and the development of bronchial obstruction in young children in Oslo, Norway. Am J Public Health 89:188–192

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Jones C (2004) The costs of nurse turnover. Part 1: an economic perspective. J Nurs Adm 34(12):362–370

    Google Scholar 

  38. Jones C (2005) The costs of nurse turnover. Part 2: application of the nursing turnover cost calculation methodology. J Nurs Adm 35(1):41–49

    Google Scholar 

  39. Kaczmarczyk J, Zeng Q, Melikov A, Fanger P (2002) The effect of a personalized ventilation system on perceived air quality and SBS symptoms. In: Proceedings of indoor air 2002, Monterey

    Google Scholar 

  40. Kelland P (1992) Sick building syndrome, working environments and hospital staff. Indoor Environ 1:335–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Kellert SR (2005) Building for life: designing and understanding the human-nature connection. Island Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  42. Lerner D, Chang H, Rogers WH, Benson C, Schein J, Allaire S (2009) A method for imputing the impact of health problems on at-work performance and productivity from available health data. J Occup Environ Med 51(5):515–524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Liu JZ, Tao YX, Hao L (1996) The relationship between sick building syndrome and indoor decoration. In: Proceedings of the 7th international conference on indoor air quality and climate (Indoor Air’96), vol 2, pp 321–324, Nagoya, Japan

    Google Scholar 

  44. Loftness VE (2005) Building Investment Decision Support (BIDS™) – cost-benefit tool to promote high performance components, flexible infrastructures & systems integration for sustainable commercial buildings and productive organizations. AIA pilot report on university research, pp 12–31, AIA, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  45. Mendell MJ (1991) Risk factors for work-related symptoms in Northern California office workers.Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California, CA Dept. of Health Services, and NIOSH, indoor environment program Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA. Sponsoring Org. USDOE, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  46. Menzies D, Pasztor J, Nunes F, Leduc J, Chan C (1997) Effect of a new ventilation system on health and well-being of office workers. Arch Environ Health 52(5):360–367

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Menzies DF, Yuan L, Fitzgerald J (2000) Hospital ventilation and risk for tuberculosis infection in Canadian Health Care Workers. Ann Intern Med 133(10):779–789

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Menzies D, Popa J, Hanley J, Rand T, Milton D (2003) Effect of ultraviolet germicidal lights installed in office ventilation systems on workers’ health and wellbeing: double-blind multiple crossover trial. Lancet 362:1785–1791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Myatt T, Johnston S, Zuo Z, Wand M, Kebadze T, Rudnick S et al (2004) Detection of airborne rhinovirus and its relation to outdoor air supply in office environments. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 169:1187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. North Carolina Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology S (n.d.) SPICE (North Carolina statewide program for infection control and epidemiology). Retrieved from http://www.unc.edu/depts/spice/MRSA-VRE-Surveillance.ppt. Accessed 27 Dec 2011

  51. Pittet D, Hugonnet S, Harbarth S, Mourouga P, Sauvan V, Touveneau S et al (2000) Effectiveness of a hospital-wide program to improve compliance with hand hygiene. Lancet 356:1307–1312

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Preziosi P, Czernichow S (2004) Workplace air-conditioning and health services attendance among French middle-aged women: a prospective cohort study. Int J Epidemiol 33(5):1120–1123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Project H (n.d.) Agency for healthcare research and quality. Retrieved from http://hcupnet.ahrq.gov/HCUPnet.app/. Accessed 27 Dec 2011

  54. Rheinbaben F, Schünemann S (2000) Transmission of viruses via contact in a household setting: experiments using bacteriophage ϕX174 as a model virus. J Hosp Infect 46:61–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Saelens BE, Sallis JF, Black J, Chen D (2003) Neighborhood-based differences in physical activity: an environment scale evaluation. Am J Public Health 93(9):1552–1558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Seppänen OA, Fisk WJ, Mendell MJ (1999) Association of ventilation rates and CO2 concentrations with health and other responses in commercial and institutional buildings. Indoor Air 9(4):226–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Silverstein B, Vilkari-Juntura E, Kalat J (2000) Work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, back, and upper extremity in Washington state, 1990–1988, technical report number 40-4a-2000. Safety and Health Assessment & Research for Prevention, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  58. Skole DL (n.d.) Land use, human health and climate change: convergence of planning problems for Michigan. Retrieved from http://www.landuse.msu.edu/. Accessed 27 Dec 2011

  59. Smedje G, Norback D (2000) New ventilation systems at select schools in Sweden – effects on asthma and exposure. Arch Environ Health 35(1):18–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Sordersten MG (2002) Vocal loading factors for preschool teachers at work studied with binaural DAT recordings.Department of Speech Music and Hearing, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  61. Sundel J, Levin H, Nazaroff WW, Cain WS, Fisk WJ, Grimsrud DT et al (2011) Ventilation rates and health: multidisciplinary review of the scientific literature. Indoor Air 21(3):191–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Sundell J (1996) What we know, and don’t know, about sick building syndrome. ASHRAE J 38:51–57

    Google Scholar 

  63. Templer J (1995) The staircase: studies of hazards, falls, and safer design. MIT Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  64. Tenias JM, Ballester F, Rivera ML (1998) Association between hospital emergency visits for asthma and air pollution in Valencia, Spain. Occup Environ Med 55:541–547

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Tham KH (2003) Temperature and ventilation effects on the work performance of office workers (study of a call center in the tropics). In: Proceedings of healthy buildings 2003, Singapore

    Google Scholar 

  66. Towers Perrin HR Services TP (2003) Towers Perrin 2004 health care cost survey

    Google Scholar 

  67. U.S. Census Bureau, U. C (2003) Statistical abstract of the United States: 2003, 123rd edn. U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  68. Ulrich RS (1984) View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science 224(4647):420–421

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. United State General Accounting Office, U. S (1997) Worker protection: private sector ergonomics programs yield positive results.GAO/HEHS-97-163

    Google Scholar 

  70. US Chamber of Commerce Statistics and Research Center, U. C (2003) 2003 Employee benefits study

    Google Scholar 

  71. Walch JM, Rabin BS, Day R, Williams JN, Choi K, Kang JD (2005) The effect of sunlight on postoperative analgesic medication use: a prospective study of patients undergoing spinal surgery. Psychosom Med 67:156–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Wargocki P (1998) Human perception, productivity, and symptoms related to indoor air quality. Doctoral thesis. Center for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University of Denmark

    Google Scholar 

  73. Wieslander G, Norback D, Bjornsson E, Janson C, Boman G (1997) Asthma and the indoor environment: the significance of emission of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds from newly painted surfaces. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 79(2):115–124

    Google Scholar 

  74. Wilkins AN-S (1989) Fluorescent lighting, headaches and eyestrain. Light Res Technol 21(1):300–307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  75. Wordley J, Walters S, Ayres J (1997) Short term variations in hospital admissions and mortality and particulate air pollution. Occup Environ Med 54:108–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Zecevic A, Miller DI, Harburn K (2000) An evaluation of the ergonomics of three computer keyboards. Ergonomics 43(1):55–72

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Zuraimi MK (2007) The effect of ventilation strategies of child care centers on indoor air quality and respiratory health of children in Singapore. Indoor Air 17:317–327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Dr. Vivian Loftness FAIA, LEEDAP (University Professor)

  2. School of Architecture and Center for Building Performance & Diagnostics, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Megan Snyder MSSD

Authors
  1. Dr. Vivian Loftness FAIA, LEEDAP
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Megan Snyder MSSD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vivian Loftness FAIA, LEEDAP .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. RAMTECH LIMITED, Larkspur, CA, USA

    Robert A. Meyers

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this entry

Cite this entry

Loftness, V., Snyder, M. (2012). Sustainable and Healthy Built Environment . In: Meyers, R.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3_197

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation