The health and wellbeing of building occupants should be a key priority in the design, building, and operation of new and existing buildings. Buildings can be designed, renovated, and constructed to promote healthy environments and behaviors and mitigate adverse health outcomes. This paper highlights health in terms of the relationship between occupants and buildings, as well as the relationship of buildings to the community. In the context of larger systems, smart buildings and green infrastructure strategies serve to support public health goals. At the level of the individual building, interventions that promote health can also enhance indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and provide opportunities for physical activity. Navigating the various programs that use metrics to measure a building's health impacts reveals that there are multiple co-benefits of a “healthy building,” including those related to the economy, environment, society, transportation, planning, and energy efficiency.
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February 2017
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Integrating Health Into Buildings of the Future
Leila Heidari,
Leila Heidari
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
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Margalit Younger,
Margalit Younger
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
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George Chandler,
George Chandler
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
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James Gooch,
James Gooch
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
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Paul Schramm
Paul Schramm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
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Leila Heidari
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
Margalit Younger
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
George Chandler
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
James Gooch
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
Paul Schramm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Atlanta, GA 30341
Atlanta, GA 30341
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received May 1, 2016; final manuscript received October 15, 2016; published online November 29, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Patrick E. Phelan.
This material is declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Feb 2017, 139(1): 010802 (8 pages)
Published Online: November 29, 2016
Article history
Received:
May 1, 2016
Revised:
October 15, 2016
Citation
Heidari, L., Younger, M., Chandler, G., Gooch, J., and Schramm, P. (November 29, 2016). "Integrating Health Into Buildings of the Future." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. February 2017; 139(1): 010802. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4035061
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