Holistic Healthy Building for Human Habitat

Abstract

Welcome to this Special Issue of Indoor and Built Environment. This Special Issue of journal papers is based on the advanced research studies that had been carried out by the Center for Sustainable Healthy Buildings (CSHeB) in Korea. The 20 papers in this Special Issue of Indoor and Built Environment were selected from a symposium presentation held on 27 May 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. These papers were further developed and peer reviewed by experts. International experts in Indoor Air Quality, Architecture, Environmental Toxicology and Building Services were also invited to contribute review and original research papers for this Special Issue. The International Society of the Built Environment (ISBE) is proud to be associated with this Special Issue and recommend you to study the papers presented. ISBE shares the same missions and beliefs with the CSHeB of Korea. We hope by our disseminations, we may contribute to the further advancement of innovative technologies for sustainable built environments; better designs that will improve health and well-being for everyone and an influence on policies and planning for sustainable development of Healthy Buildings for all cultures and nationalities. The main focus of this special issue of papers was the consideration of human aspects of built environments and how healthy environment can be achieved within architecture, to satisfy the occupants’ requirements for comfort, environmental quality and minimisation of environmental harm that could affect the health and well-being of people living and working in the environment. This Special Issue is of interest to broad interdisciplinary readers including academics, practitioners, and consultants. The CSHeB has become one of the leading research organisations in all the subjects concerning the built environment, emphasising the need for interdisciplinary research into architectural, medical, psychological, physiological, social and environmental aspects of healthy buildings. Progress has been made in understanding the need for social integration, design, construction, maintenance and occupants’ requirements for development of sustainable and healthy buildings. A number of reports and studies have been published providing the latest ‘‘state-of-the-art’’ dissemination of research relating to lighting, ventilation, social environment, indoor air quality, acoustics, thermal comfort, moisture and structure for the built environment. Sustainable development and sustainable buildings are important part of architecture and governments’ guidelines and building regulations in many countries of the world. Although the focus is on the building development, there is a need to consider the wider application of the building and the impact on the holistic health of the community regarding the social, economic and environmental implication of any build development to serve not just the physical need of accommodation, but the social, psychological and physiological needs of the intended occupants. A sustainable built environment should also be a healthy and happy environment for a healthy community of occupants and would not pose risks to people due to dampness, emissions from building materials, proliferation of moulds, noise generation and glare. There is also the need for the sufficient provision of sustainable transport infrastructure, education, training, leisure and play facilities as well as medical care for the built community, which should feel safe and secure from