Event Description

Join USGBC Carolinas and Joel McKellar of Whole Building Systems for a discussion on Health and Wellness in the Built Environment.

For decades, discussions about high-performance buildings have focused on energy efficiency and environmental improvements, but emerging research from Harvard and other academic institutions is highlighting how focusing on healthier building strategies can improve the health and well-being of employees, reduce health care cost and improve productivity.

People spend about 90% of their time indoors. This presentation provides an overview of research showing how buildings can impact our health and some simple solutions that can offset risks. It also looks at design and construction practices related to air and water quality, lighting, and materials selection that seek to improve occupant health. Finally, it addresses future trends in health and wellness including the introduction of new certifications for healthier buildings.

Learning Objectives

• Describe a framework for beginning to understanding building health.
• Apply the framework to current design, construction and operation processes.
• Recognize issues and challenges unique to addressing health and wellness in buildings.
• Identify common design and operational pitfalls.
• Understand how recent updates to LEED have placed a stronger emphasis on health and well-being strategies.