By Phil Stewart
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1 April 2012, Build 129, Feature article
We all intuitively know that the built environment has an effect on how we feel and behave. An emerging field of design is taking this concept one step further by creating buildings that intentionally try to improve our health and wellbeing.
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By Professor Julian Crane
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1 April 2012, Build 129, Feature article
The home can be a danger zone for asthmatics. Damp and mould, in particular, can seriously affect asthma sufferers and may even precipitate its onset in children.
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By Lauren Prestney
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1 April 2012, Build 129, Feature article
There can be a shortfall between what is required on site and what is provided. Yet construction workers who are well equipped to cope with noise and the environment they work in are not only healthier and happier, they’re more productive.
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By Malcolm Cunningham
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1 April 2012, Build 129, Feature article
The condition of rental houses is typically worse than owner-occupied dwellings, but does that make them less healthy to live in? BRANZ looked at two sets of research programme outcomes to find out.
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By Malcolm Cunningham, David Ormandy, Michael Baker, Dr Michael Keall, Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman
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1 April 2012, Build 129, Feature article
There’s plenty of evidence to show that substandard housing can have a negative affect on health. Using a housing quality assessment tool, like the Healthy Housing Index, can change this, informing people’s housing choices and influencing policy.
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By Lauren Prestney
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1 April 2012, Build 129
Costs can be lowered and accidents avoided if time is spent thinking about safety at a project’s design stage. This can range from the number of employees and the materials used, through to putting in permanent safety systems.
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