In conclusion, climate and well-being are two closely related aspects since the perception of well-being is personal, but it cannot be separated from certain climatic conditions. Therefore, heating, cooling, and ventilation systems must ensure ideal temperatures at all times and in all rooms, only in this way can we give our customers an all-around experience of comfort and well-being.
Comfort and indoor air quality for living comfort:
two factors that create value in residential and nonresidential construction
Comfort and indoor air quality have rightfully entered the list of factors to be taken into account during design. This is indicated by the technical regulations, which have made great strides in recent years through revisions and updates, and it is clearly indicated by the long series of studies that have led to these updates. This attention is justified by the simple fact that comfort and indoor air quality are important for human well-being. Important in work environments, because they affect job performance. Important in everyday living spaces, because they affect the healthfulness of environments and, for the same reason, critical in hospital construction.
Climate Wellness for Health
Studies have shown that air quality affects productivity and health, and the World Health Organization has estimated that indoor air pollution has caused the deaths of 3.5 million people. And while it is true that inside clinics and hospitals the focus is higher and monitoring is carried out to keep track of key parameters, it is also true that private homes and schools are still a long way from this kind of investigation, partly because no legislation provides for them. And that is why it is often the designer's duty to make the client aware of these data, informing him or her that one risks living and working in environments that contain high percentages of carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, radon, secondhand smoke, dust mites, mold, and having to live with the resulting consequences: difficulty concentrating, increased health problems, and increased public health spending. The 2014-2018 National Prevention Plan states that indoor pollution costs 200 million euros, a figure to ponder. In conclusion, in the face of the lack of specific legislation in residential and tertiary construction, these kinds of decisions are entrusted to the personal sensitivity of the designer and client, and we are confident that following adequate information more and more design and construction choices will take the right path.
Acoustics and lighting:
two elements not to be underestimated in achieving living comfort
The variables that contribute to the creation of a comfortable environment are numerous. In addition to temperature and indoor air quality, acoustics, i.e., the management of outdoor and indoor noise, and lighting must be taken into account, especially in spaces where natural light sources are not sufficient to ensure proper daytime vision and in environments that need good visibility at night.
Comfort and well-being in the residential, tertiary and industrial sectors
The importance of lighting and acoustics is obvious even to the uninitiated. Upon entering any environment, noise and light are noticed immediately and in a single instant determine a feeling of discomfort or well-being, partly conditioned by subjective perception. The emotional variable must be carefully considered in the design phase, so as to reconcile personal sensitivity to these two elements with the architectural solutions that best optimise costs and performance, achieving the level of satisfaction required by the customer. But it is the intended use of the buildings that has the last word, because if in the residential, hotel and retail sector there is a tendency to opt for design lighting that creates a certain type of atmosphere, in the tertiary and industrial spaces criteria such as uniformity, power and control of the luminous flux must prevail, also to guarantee the safety of people at work. Similarly, hotels, apartment blocks, hospitals, offices and concert halls will have different sound insulation requirements and it will depend on the designer to find the best solutions for sound insulation or sound absorption. The objective? To reconcile aesthetics with comfort, functionality and energy savings.
