The total climate footprint of the building and construction industry accounts for approximately 30% of Denmark's total CO₂ emissions[1]. To further accelerate the green transition, it is therefore necessary to implement and scale new solutions with a lower carbon footprint. The aim of the new agreement between the VELUX Group and Thylander is precisely to accelerate the transition of the construction sector and offer low-emission homes with a healthy indoor climate to more Danes.

Living Places principles to be implemented in rental housing in Greater Copenhagen
In 2023, Thylander launched its Build for Life fund, which aims to build attractive rental housing in Greater Copenhagen with high quality and good materials - and with a 30% lower carbon footprint than required by the Danish building regulations. The Living Places concept will play a significant role in the continued improvement of the fund’s new-built housing. The ambition is to build the new homes with inspiration from the five principles of the Living Places concept; that homes should be healthy, simple, flexible, scalable and strengthen the community.

Thylander is already working on the project 'Gartnerhaven' in Hvidovre with 106 new rental homes and ‘Søagerhusene’ in Smørum with 105 new rental homes. The plan is to add further construction projects over the coming period. The ambition is to build more than 500 new rental homes based on the Living Places concept over the coming years.

With the agreement, the VELUX Group shares analyses, calculations and simulations from Living Places as well as detailed information about the five principles behind the Living Places concept with Thylander.

About Living Places
The award-winning Living Places concept developed by the VELUX Group in collaboration with EFFEKT architects and Artelia engineers opened the doors to the first prototype in Copenhagen in April last year. The ambition of the project is to inspire and show that change is possible and that it is already possible to build with lower CO₂ emissions and a better indoor climate at a scalable and affordable level. Living Places is based on five key principles; that housing should be healthy, simple, flexible, scalable and empower community.

Read more about Living Places

1: https://concito.dk/nyheder/nye-co2-krav-kan-paavirke-flere-facetter-byggeriet, https://www.ft.dk/samling/20191/almdel/KEF/bilag/393/2229190.pdf

In July and August 2024, VELUX Group invited nearly 100 architects, entrepreneurs, designers and journalists from 12 countries to live at Living Places Copenhagen as part of an experiment that builds on years of research led by VELUX Group in scientifically monitoring different model homes to better understand how building design impacts residents' comfort and satisfaction while assessing indoor environmental quality and its effects on human well-being.

Living Places explores how to build homes with an ultra-low CO₂ footprint and an optimal indoor climate using standard materials, methods and technologies available today.

Using 17 environmental sensors strategically placed in the two houses, a questionnaire as well as personal testimonies, VELUX Group examined the houses' indoor comfort performance in terms of indoor air quality, thermal comfort, natural light levels and noise as well as guests’ perceptions of the houses’ functional comfort, such as the layout, their experiences with the community and atmosphere, and their overall satisfaction with the houses.

Five key conclusions from the Living Places Living experiment

1. Living Places can inspire and showcase how to build sustainably
For over 20 years, the VELUX Group has initiated and participated in more than 30 demonstration buildings exploring the future of healthy buildings through full scale experiments. In 2021, VELUX Group launched an open innovation process to change the way we build today towards more sustainable practices and to decarbonize buildings. The result, Living Places, shows that it is possible to build more sustainable and healthy buildings using standard materials, methods and technologies that are available today.

2. Healthy buildings that are good for people and the planet can be achieved by applying a holistic approach focusing more on comfort, energy and environment parameters
Advocating for the well-being of people and the planet requires a holistic approach to sustainable living and building practices that looks at the entire life cycle of a building, from design and construction to use.

3. The way we design our homes can significantly influence residents' well-being and their way of living
Our homes are an important part of our overall health. We spend 90% of our time indoors, yet 1 out of 3 Europeans is exposed to at least one indoor climate hazard such as lack of daylight, cold, damp or noise, according to the Healthy Homes Barometer 2022 and Healthy Buildings Barometer 2024. The way we build and live directly impacts our physical and mental health. The design of the house and indoor environment has a strong positive impact on residents' well-being, with over 70% of Living Places guests reporting improved mood, increased relaxation, and a sense of connection to nature while experiencing minimal negative effects.

4. The design of Living Places Copenhagen, which optimizes daylight and natural ventilation, has been well-received by guests
Designed to optimize daylight and natural ventilation, 83% of all guests favoured spending time in rooms with more natural light while 90% also found it easy to adjust the shadings to ensure an optimal indoor environment. As part of creating well-being at home, functional factors like design, layout, temperature, lighting, and indoor climate can invoke immediate feelings of physical comfort in a building. During their stay, 85% of the guests perceived the houses to fit their functional needs.

5. Living Places Copenhagen has achieved an indoor thermal environment within the comfortable range according to the European Standard
On a conceptual basis, Living Places had been awarded a first-class indoor climate. The results indicate "comfortable ranges" which reflect the actual performance during the experiment period which included the indoor temperature being within the best level of the European Standard (EN 16798-1:2019 standard (Category I)) 89% of the time in one house and 90% of the time in the other and within the comfortable range of the European Standard (EN 16798-1:2019 standard (Category II)) 98% of the time in both houses.

To learn more visit: Build for Life - Living Places Learnings 

This year, the award has a new value-based focus and honours Living Places Copenhagen, developed by the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, Artelia and Enemærke & Petersen, as a pioneering example of design that creates positive change and addresses the major climate and health challenges we face today.

The Danish Design Award 2024 marks a new chapter in its history by moving away from fixed categories and focusing on solutions that challenge traditional boundaries. This year, judging was based on five core values: Do No Harm, Pursue Beauty, Lead the Way, Prove Your Impact and Solve Problems Worth Solving. Living Places Copenhagen was highlighted by the jury as a project that combines beautiful design with a low carbon footprint, healthy indoor environments and a whole new approach to how we live together.

A new paradigm in the construction industry
The Living Places concept was developed to show how an innovative approach to construction can help solve global climate and health challenges. The project has been exhibited as prototypes in the Railroad District in Copenhagen for the past 1.5 years, showing how it is possible to build homes with an ultra-low carbon footprint and with a first-class indoor climate - at a price that matches the market for newly built detached and terraced houses at scale.

Design that sets a new standard
The Living Places project has already received significant national and international recognition, and with this award, the Danish Design Award recognises the aesthetic and design quality of the project, which goes hand in hand with the sustainable principles.

About Living Places
The Living Places concept is developed by the VELUX Group in collaboration with EFFEKT architects and Artelia engineers. The first prototypes were presented in Copenhagen in April 2023. Living Places has already been nominated for 14 national and international architecture and design awards and has won 8 of them. Take a virtual tour through Living Places Copenhagen or read more about the project.

The Netherlands face enormous challenges in the built environment that is dominated by a significant housing shortage, houses being built with four times the recommended CO₂ footprint[1], and homes becoming increasingly complex and less comfortable for users. The Smûk house is an example of how to address these challenges as it showcases a house based on the Living Places concept that is affordable to build, healthier to live in with a minimal CO₂ footprint.

The built environment is responsible for 38% of all Dutch CO₂ emissions with 27% of these coming from energy use during the building's lifecycle and 11% from emissions during the production of building materials[2]. These numbers underline the urgency of transforming the building industry by applying new construction methods and ways of thinking.

A new way forward for Dutch housing
Although the Smûk house offers higher comfort and is affordable to build, it still faces challenges in Dutch legislation to actually be built as an alternative to the current housing tradition. From environmental plans and installations to visible beam constructions, there are challenges to overcome in urban planning and to achieve permits.

BGDD is known for its innovative approach and collaborates with local farmers to grow biobased insulation materials, such as hemp and flax. Additionally, peat meadow areas are flooded to cultivate cattail and miscanthus. This not only reduces CO₂ emissions but also produces circular materials for construction. 

The Smûk house was unveiled on Thursday, September 19, at the construction company's site in Dokkum, Friesland where over 350 customers, policymakers, and partners participated in a large event that focused on inspiring, connecting and setting new standards. Her Majesty Queen Máxima, Director General from the Ministry of Housing and Spatial planning Mr. C. Kuijpers, King’s commissioner from the province of Fryslân mr. A. Brok, and Mayor from the municipality of Noard-East mr. J. Kramer were also present at the event.

[1]Coppe8: Woningbouw binnen planetaire grenzen
[2] Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC); Whole life carbon

The total carbon footprint of the construction industry accounts for approximately 30% of CO2 emissions in Denmark[1], of which 10% comes from the production of building materials and materials for the entire building and construction industry, including the construction of bridges, roads, renovation and new construction[2]. Consequently, there is a need to implement and scale new solutions with a lower carbon footprint if the construction sector is to succeed in the green transition. The new partnership agreement between the VELUX Group and HusCompagniet is a good example of how partners across the construction sector join forces to realize this ambition.

HusCompagniet wishes to contribute to the development of the construction industry - especially within sustainability and the green transition. Since 2019, HusCompagniet has worked with sustainability initiatives as an integral part of its strategy and is now systematically collecting data and knowledge from its houses and suppliers to establish an informed basis for reducing CO2 emissions. With the partner agreement on Living Places, HusCompagniet will gain an even deeper insight into how to work with material selection, design, CO2 footprint, and health in homes going forward.

The ambition behind the award-winning Living Places project is to inspire change and show that it is already possible to build with lower CO2 emissions and a better indoor climate at a scalable and affordable level. Living Places is based on five key principles; that homes should be healthy, simple, flexible, scalable, and empower communities.

With the agreement, the VELUX Group shares analyses, calculations, and simulations from Living Places as well as detailed information about the five principles with HusCompagniet. HusCompagniet will work to implement this knowledge in several future projects with the ambition of eventually offering homes with a first-class indoor climate and as low a carbon footprint as possible to Danish homeowners. Thus, the partner agreement is a long-term collaboration between the two parties, where the overall ambition is to push sustainable development and translate insights from the Living Places project to homes for the general Danish population.

About Living Places
The Living Places concept is developed by the VELUX Group in collaboration with EFFEKT architects and Artelia engineers, who opened the doors to the first prototype in Copenhagen in April last year. Since then, several Danes have shown interest in building houses based on the Living Places concept.

Read more about Living Places

[1] https://concito.dk/nyheder/nye-co2-krav-kan-paavirke-flere-facetter-byggeriet , https://www.ft.dk/samling/20191/almdel/KEF/bilag/393/2229190.pdf
[2] https://www.ft.dk/samling/20191/almdel/KEF/bilag/393/2229190.pdf

One in four Europeans live in buildings where indoor air quality falls below national standards.  Since we spend 90% of our time indoors, how we build and live directly impacts our physical and mental health. Living in a building with a poor indoor climate can result in severe health issues with ill effects ranging from respiratory and skin problems, headaches, and allergies to serious mental health concerns and life-threatening heat or cold[1]. 

The Living Places concept explores how to create an optimal indoor climate with the lowest possible carbon footprint using readily available and tested products, materials, and technologies. On a conceptual basis, Living Places has been awarded a first-class indoor climate, but now the time has come to test how the houses perform with real people living in them.

Since July over 20 architects, influencers, and families from across Europe have lived in the Living Places Copenhagen houses in the railroad district in Copenhagen.

Live monitoring of indoor climate performance
The indoor climate performance of Living Places was predicted during the design stage using simulations and compared synthetically against a benchmark Danish house through the Active House Radar.

The health impacts of Living Places Copenhagen on its occupants are measured through the data from spatial sensors tracking temperature, relative humidity, C02, barometric pressure, particles, light, sounds, occupancy, and some VOCs and the learning will be shared during the fall of 2024.

See the virtual tour of Living Places Copenhagen and read more about Living Places
 

[1] Healthy Buildings Barometer 2024

With increasing concerns around the pressing environmental crisis, there is a growing demand for more sustainable construction approaches and the building industry has a responsibility to develop methodologies that accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and decarbonized practice.

Over the past two decades, the VELUX Group has embarked on more than 30 demonstration projects in 22 countries, advocating for healthier and more sustainable building practices through full-scale experiments. Building on this legacy of learning and innovation, the Living Places project shows that it is possible to build affordable and healthy buildings with an ultra-low carbon footprint using standard materials, methods and technologies available today.

The publication of "Living Places: Principles and Insights for a New Way of Thinking Buildings" signifies that VELUX is committed to leading the way within the building industry by sharing knowledge that shows why industry actors need to adopt new building principles and adapt to a new way of thinking about buildings.

A book for use
The book takes an open-source approach to sharing the knowledge gained by all partners throughout the Living Places project. Beginning with the ways of working and transformative partnerships, the book unfolds the Living Places concept through its principles and People and Planet Methodology and finishes with an explorative review of the first prototype Living Places Copenhagen.

The book is published by the Danish Architectural Press and will be available to purchase at retailers around the world from June 21^st.

Read more about Living Places: Principles and Insights for a New Way of Thinking Buildings
Buy the book here: https://arkitektensforlag.dk/shop/p/living-places

The project has won this year’s MIPIM Awards for its holistic approach to building more sustainably. It demonstrates how to build homes with a CO2 footprint that is 2/3 lower than the current Danish standard. This is achieved while ensuring a first-class indoor climate and by using existing technology and materials.

Before handing over the prize to representatives from the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, and Artelia, the jury member and partner at BIG, Kai-Uwe Bergmann, said:

The winner was announced at the international MIPIM real estate event in Cannes on March 14th, 2024, where the most influential players from all sectors of the international property industry gather.

In 2023, Living Places Copenhagen won the EY Sustainability Award in the innovation category, the Innovative Design Award of the Bo Bedre magazine’s Design Awards, as well as the “Sustainable Future Award” and the “Merit Award for Architecture” from the American Institute of Architects. 

About Living Places Copenhagen
In April 2023, the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, Artelia, and Enemærke & Petersen opened the doors to Living Places Copenhagen in the Railway District in Copenhagen – the first prototype of the overall Living Places concept. The vision behind the project is to lead the way in the building industry and show how rethinking buildings can help solve some of the global climate and health challenges. The concept is based on five key principles that aim to make homes that are healthy, adaptive, simple, shared over time and scalable. These guiding principles are relevant to both new constructions and established communities.

For more information about Living Places
Read more about the MIPIM Awards 2024

The project has earned its place at this year’s MIPIM Awards by using a holistic approach to building more sustainably. It demonstrates how to build homes with a CO2 footprint that is 2/3 lower than the current Danish standard. This is achieved while ensuring a first-class indoor climate and by using existing technology and materials.

This year’s MIPIM Awards will focus on projects that have been developed with ‘a consideration of construction and operational carbon, to climate and life cycle concerns, and prizes will go chiefly to projects that best serve their end-users and wider communities while making a contribution to the economy’. Read more about the MIPIM Awards 2024.

The winner will be announced at the international MIPIM real estate event in Cannes on March 14th, 2024 where the most influential players from all sectors of the international property industry gather.

In 2023, Living Places Copenhagen won the EY Sustainability Award in the innovation category, the Innovative Design Award of the Bo Bedre magazine’s Design Awards, as well as the “Sustainable Future Award” and the “Merit Award for Architecture” from the American Institute of Architects. 

About Living Places Copenhagen
In April 2023 the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, Artelia, and Enemærke & Petersen opened the doors to Living Places Copenhagen in the Railway District in Copenhagen – the first prototype of the overall Living Places concept. The vision behind the project is to lead the way in the building industry and show how rethinking buildings can help solve some of the global climate and health challenges. The concept is based on five key principles that aim to make homes that are healthy, adaptive, simple, shared over time and scalable. These guiding principles are relevant to both new constructions and established communities.

For more information about Living Places, visit livingplaces.velux.com

Living Places Copenhagen, built by the VELUX Group, EFFEKT architects, Artelia engineers and Enemærke & Petersen contractors, has been awarded with two international awards by the American Institute of Architects. The AIA has just announced that the Danish design studio EFFEKT has been awarded the Sustainable Future Award and the Merit Award for Architecture.

With the Sustainable Future Award and the Merit Award for Architecture, Living Places Copenhagen is recognized for its outstanding design and for demonstrating that it is possible to improve human health and energy efficiency and manage our dwindling resources in a sustainable way through meaningful, sustainable, and integrated design. More about the awards: www.aiainternational.org/design-awards-2023-winners.

The news of the two international awards was also received with great enthusiasm by EFFEKT, the architects on the project.

In September 2023, Living Places Copenhagen won the EY Sustainability award in the innovation category for its groundbreaking and innovative concept for future housing, and in November Living Places Copenhagen received the design award of the Bo Bedre magazine in the Innovative of the Year category.

About Living Places Copenhagen
In April 2023 the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, Artelia, and Enemærke & Petersen opened the doors to Living Places Copenhagen in the Railway District in Copenhagen. It is the first prototype of the overall Living Places concept, and the vision is to lead the way in the building industry and show how rethinking buildings can help solve some of the global climate and health challenges. The groundbreaking project demonstrates that it is possible to build homes with a CO2 footprint that is 2/3 lower per m2/year than the Danish standard while ensuring a first-class indoor climate.

With the building industry accounting for 37% of the global CO2 emissions there is a urgent need for low carbon solutions to be scaled and implemented in the building industry. Earlier this year, the VELUX Group and its partners, EFFEKT and Artelia, presented the Living Places concept as one example of how rethinking buildings can help solve some of the global climate and health challenges. An important aim and aspect of the Living Places project is to scale the concept to the rest of Europe and to apply Living Places more broadly through knowledge sharing. The new partner agreement between The VELUX Group and Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma, is the first partner agreement on the Living Places project and the Dutch company will be the first house builder to use the Living Places concept in its development and construction processes and to build a full scale Living Places prototype in the Northern part of the Netherlands.

Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma has an ambition to build the future homes of the Netherlands in a more sustainable way and has already developed a replaceable timbered frame house insulated with biobased materials like cattail, miscanthus, hemp and flax.

A partner agreement to build more sustainable housing
In the partner agreement with Dijkstra Draisma, the VELUX Group commits to share knowledge, analyses, calculations and simulations on the Living Places concept as well as detailed information on the five key Living Places principles: that homes should be adaptive, healthy, simple, scalable and shared over time, with the Dutch house builder. The VELUX Group will furthermore share concrete learnings and know-how from the Living Places Copenhagen-prototype and work closely together with Dijkstra Draisma to exchange knowledge on low carbon housing.

Read more about the Living Places project here

The building industry accounts for 34% of the global energy consumption and 37% of the global CO₂ emissions^[1], and in the latest report from the UN's climate panel, it is clear that low carbon solutions must be scaled and implemented – also in the building industry. One of those solutions can be experienced in Copenhagen from today. With the groundbreaking project Living Places Copenhagen, the VELUX Group and its partners, demonstrate how to build homes with a CO₂ footprint of 3.8 kg/CO₂/m²/year – three times lower than the current Danish legislation of 12 kg CO₂/m²/year – and to a price that matches the market price for a one-family house or rowhouses at scale. Furthermore, Living Places Copenhagen is designed with a strong focus on creating a healthy indoor climate using daylight and fresh air and it delivers best in class indoor climate.

Living Places Copenhagen is the first prototype showcasing the overall concept - Living Places – which was initiated by the VELUX Group, EFFEKT and Artelia. The vision is to lead the way within the building industry and show how rethinking buildings can help solve some of the global climate and health challenges. The concept is based on five key principles: homes should be healthy, adaptive, simple, shared over time and scalable. These principles can be applied to new or existing buildings and communities. 

The materials, solutions and knowledge are already here 
As a part of The Living Places Copenhagen project, the VELUX Group, EFFEKT, Artelia and Enemærke & Petersen, have carried out a complete Life Cycle Assessment. This means that each material, design and building technique has been carefully considered and mapped in terms of the emissions they project compared to a typical Danish household. Based on this, the partnership have built prototypes, showing that we do not have to wait for future technology to build homes that benefit both people and the planet.

Living Places Copenhagen showcases a total of seven prototypes – five open pavilions and two completed full-scale homes which open to the public on Earth Day on the 22nd April. As an official partner to the UIA World Congress of Architects in Copenhagen, Living Places Copenhagen will host a programme of debates and activities designed to drive and accelerate change in the building industry.

Read more about Living Places Copenhagen and how to book a tour here: https://buildforlife.velux.com/en/livingplaces/visit-living-places-copenhagen 

^[1] UN Global Building Alliance Status Report 2022

Now it’s even easier to maintain a healthy indoor climate with new compatibility with Google Assistant. This means you can control your electric or solar-powered VELUX window, shutters and blinds, using Google Assistant and the product will be visible in the Google Home app.
 

VELUX ACTIVE brings together a smartphone app, an indoor climate sensor, a departure switch and an internet gateway run by advanced algorithms that can control the fully-automated operation of roof windows, blinds, awnings and shutters. The algorithm can also be set to run on pre-defined timings, for example if you do not want your system to operate during specific timings, such as when you are asleep or on vacation.

Knowing that most of us spend 90% of our time indoors, maximising our comfort in our homes should be a priority. We also know that it’s very important for our health to let fresh air into the home and keep it ventilated. For the winter months specifically, being able to customise your indoor climate through voice control is useful for many different reasons:

• When you’re settled on the sofa, under a blanket and about to put a film on the TV, what could be better than being able to put the blinds on your roof window down without having to get up?
• When you’ve cooked a meal and want to air the kitchen to get rid of CO₂ and any food odours
• If you’ve had the fire or a scented candle lit and want to ventilate the room
• Airing your bedroom in the morning or before going to bed

Nature can reduce stress and increase wellbeing
Restorative environment research studies have also documented how being in nature or exposed to nature can increase wellbeing. 

A new research review conducted by independent research institute RAND Europe on behalf of VELUX, has also identified several studies that find a positive association between people’s exposure to nature and their mental health and wellbeing, for instance helping reduce people’s perceived stress state.

77% believe they should change daily routines to reconnect with nature, according to the YouGov Survey​

The survey found that 77% think they should make changes to their daily routine and lifestyle to enable them spend more time in nature. In Italy the number is significantly higher, with 88% thinking they should make changes. Similarly, Canada is also the nation in which percentages are the highest of people spending an average of one hour or less a day in nature in the past month (69% compared to a 52% global average).

Aside from having a positive impact on mental wellbeing, 86% of Austrians believe that having access to nature, daylight and fresh air has a positive impact on physical health, and 84% of people in Poland believe that it has a positive impact on quality of sleep. In the US its positive impact on stress levels (71%) was the most popular opinion. Inside the home, two thirds (66%) of all respondents enjoy watching the weather through a window. In Poland and Slovakia people are particularly fond of bringing nature inside with the majority enjoying having house plants (76% and 73% respectively).

This new population survey echoes VELUX’s new global campaign, ‘Let nature back in, which highlights the risks of a nature deficient society. It explores the effects that indoor-based lifestyles can have on our overall wellbeing amid a shift to an increasingly urbanized population, illustrated in a film directed by Martin de Thurah, showing how children from previous generations played outdoors, to the children of today who are far more likely to stay inside in front of various screens.  

To learn more, go to outsidein.velux.com.

On average we spend 90% of our time indoors¹, so the quality of the air we breathe can make a big impact on our health. More than half of the body’s air intake during a lifetime is inhaled in the home². However, for 92% of us, the air around our homes is not safe to breathe³ and is linked to a range of health hazards.

Poor insulation and construction of buildings is often the cause of low energy efficiency and can compromise the occupant’s comfort and health. Around 65% of Europeans living in major urban areas are exposed to dangerously high levels of noise pollution⁴. This can lead to health issues such as stress, high blood pressure, hypertension and strokes⁴.

One study about living in a dark home found health worsened by 50% with headaches, insomnia and depression amongst other reported negative health impacts⁵. Therefore, good quality light, daylight when possible, is essential for a healthy life. Natural lighting is also an important energy reduction strategy in the home.
 

The guide recommends action to making a home healthier such as:

• Ventilate your home to clear away the hidden indoor toxins and bring fresh and clean air into your home
• Invest in insulation to boost energy efficiency, thermal comfort, less noise and lower energy bills
• Maximise the use of daylight and be efficient with lighting to lower carbon emissions, reduce energy costs and unlock health benefits.
   

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About the World Green Building Council

The World Green Building Council is a global network of Green Building Councils that is transforming the places where we live, work, play, heal and learn.

The goal is to help reduce the building and construction sector’s CO₂ emissions by 84 gigatonnes and ensure all buildings have net zero emissions by 2050.

We believe green buildings can and must be at the centre of our lives. Our changing climate means we must reshape the way we grow and build, enabling people to thrive both today and tomorrow.

We take action – championing local and global leadership and empowering our community to drive change. Together, we are greater than the sum of our parts, and commit to green buildings for everyone, everywhere. www.worldgbc.org.

References

1. Klepeis, N, Nelson, W, Ott, W et al. 2001. ‘The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS). A Resource for Assessing Exposure to Environmental Pollutants’ Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.https://indoor.lbl.gov/sites/all/files/lbnl-47713.pdf.
2. Sundell, J. 2014. ‘On the history of indoor air quality and health’ Indoor Air. 2004;14 Suppl 7:51-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15330772.
3. World Health Organisation. Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. http://www.who.int/phe/infographics/breathe-life/en/Health issues such as stress.
4. Münzel, T., Gori, T., Babisch, W. and Basner, M. (2014) Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise exposure. European Heart Journal. DOI:10.1093/eurheartj/ehu030) from European Commission study ‘Science for Environment Policy’ Thematic Issue: Noise impacts on Health January 2015, Issue 47. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3971384/.
5. Velux. 2017. Healthy Homes Barometer. https://www.velux.com/health/healthy-homes-barometer-2017.
6. International Energy Agency. Buildings. https://www.iea.org/buildings/.
    

The global survey was commissioned as part of a report aimed at highlighting the importance of living in healthy homes and the small changes that everyone can make to improve their living environment and daily exposure to light. Initial findings from The Indoor Generation report revealed that around one fifth (18%) are spending almost all day indoors, between 21 to 24 hours. 

Dr Steven Lockley, neuroscientist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School explains the impact of daylight on our brain: “Light is an acute stimulant which directly alerts the brain. If you’re exposed to brighter and bluer light in the daytime, then you get a better stimulant effect. You’ll be more alert and have better cognitive function; potentially be more productive at work and so on. If we’re thinking of offices, schools, hospitals, etc., it’s the alerting effects in the daytime which we want to take advantage of.”  

The findings support research from the World Health Organisation¹ documenting we spend up to 90% of our time indoors, isolating ourselves from nature’s vivifying sources. As a society, our always-on lifestyles are leaving precious little time to get outside and enjoy the benefits of natural light. 

As the days become shorter and colder, the importance of getting enough daylight is even more acute. A review published by the National Research Council Canada suggested that people in Western countries might not be receiving adequate exposure to daylight and this could be detrimental to our wellbeing².  

Adequate daylight during the day helps you sleep better at night 
Numerous studies have also proven the role of daylight in promoting a good night’s sleep while highlighting the negative impacts a lack of daylight has on health.  

Dr Steven Lockley, from Harvard Medical School further elaborates on the impact of daylight exposure on our 24-hour body clocks, our so-called circadian rhythm, that helps time our sleep-wake cycle: “Exposure to light-dark cycles is an absolutely crucial part of our biology and that’s due to the role of light in resetting our circadian clock each and every day. It resets our clocks to be in tune with environmental time, and light is the primary time-cue.” 

Our body clocks are informed by the different levels of daylight in a 24-hour period, we need plenty of light during the day and darkness at night to ensure a good night’s sleep. Some of the consequences caused by poor sleep include depression, diabetes, heart disease and weight gain. Other side effects linked to poor sleep include higher risk of work accidents, reduced concentration and low mood and difficulties in making decisions4. 

Daylight can also help enhance productivity 
As many as 63% of people stated in the YouGov survey that daylight influence their productivity. The link between daylight and office productivity has also been widely investigated and various studies show that daylight and a view to the outside increase performance at work. 

Workers in a call centre were processing calls 6% to 12% faster when they had the best possible view versus those with no view³. Other office workers, meanwhile, were found to perform 10% to 25% better on tests of mental function and memory recall when they had the best possible view versus those with no view.

Top tips for improving your sleep  

• Increased exposure to daylight will help you sleep better at night, sitting near a window at work or school and making an effort to get outside more will also help with this  

• Eliminate light from the outside to enter your bedroom at night  

• Sleep in a cooler bedroom  

• Avoid looking at electronic devices (TVs, smartphones / tablets) which distribute blue light before going to sleep – this can trick the brain into staying alert at the wrong time of day 

• Establish a good bed time routine – read a book instead of having more screen time 

• Give children a red or orange night light if they are afraid of the dark as these are the least disruptive to sleep 

VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO - an integrated system in one kit - addresses increasing global demand for smarter, healthier homes. With this new product, VELUX enters the fast-growing smart home market with a solution going beyond simple convenience to creating better and healthier indoor living conditions in homes around the world.

Built on the newest smart-sensor technology, developed in collaboration with French tech company and smart-home leader Netamo, the VELUX ACTIVE smart-home system integrates the newest smart sensor technology and thus thinks and acts on the consumer’s behalf. Smart sensors monitor the temperature, humidity and CO2 concentration inside the home which activates the system to automatically control the roof windows.

It is the first smart-home system launched within the global window business that succeeds in combining – in one solution – a smartphone app, an indoor climate sensor, a departure switch and an internet gateway run by advanced algorithms controlling the fully-automated operation of both roof windows, blinds and shutters to improve indoor climate and prevent overheating.

It is a system designed on science-based indoor climate parameters in joint collaboration with VELUX engineers and Netatmo tech experts.

The system comes with its own app allowing people to manage their entire indoor climate control system according to personal needs and external weather data via a few touches on their phone.

For customers with an iPhone and iPad, the smart-home system also connects with Apple’s smart-home app Apple Home, enabling homeowners for the first time ever to operate their roof windows, blinds and shutters using voice-control assistant Siri.

Smart algorithms manage your indoor climate for you
Sensors placed in the room register when it is either too hot or too humid or when the concentration of CO2 is too high and sends this information to the system’s gateway in order to rectify the situation. The indoor data is then processed along with weather data in a gateway, using advanced algorithms to calculate if the indoor climate can be improved by opening the roof window or rolling down blinds or shutters to prevent overheating.

With this new system, VELUX has moved the roof window from being a stationary product to an interactive, intelligent unit with the potential to constantly evolve through developing further algorithms to control the system.

“This is the first version of our smart-home system, which we will continue to develop based on feedback from users. By virtue of its digital nature, we’re able to constantly improve it, which means users as an add-on automatically receive the newest upgrades and added functions, as we advance the software,” continued Bang.

Smart homes are the future
​Worldwide, the smart-home market is currently valued at around $31.4 billion and predicted to grow to around $53.45 billion by 2022 (Statista 2018). By plugging roof windows into the ‘smart’ world and creating a solution that is compatible with various smart-home platforms, as well as connecting with other smart products and apps, VELUX has created a solution which will strengthen its consumer relevance in the years to come.

VELUX hopes to significantly increase sales of its motorised windows following the release of this new system as tech-savvy consumers flock to own the latest technology for their home.

Healthier indoor climate drives consumers 
The rising number of unhealthy homes is another strong driver behind The VELUX Group’s strategic move into the smart home marketplace.

With one out of six Europeans living in unhealthy buildings, characterised by damp, lack of daylight, inadequate heating during the winter or overheating during the summer (Healthy Homes Barometer 2017), there is a huge potential for renovating the existing building stock – VELUX ACTIVE offers a solution to these issues.

Modern-day living has turned us into an indoor generation, spending (according to World Health Organisation) up to 90 percent our time indoors, making the air we breathe just as important as the food we eat or the water we drink. However, few people are aware that indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outside, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. In a recent worldwide YouGov survey, 8 out of 10 Americans and Europeans stated they were unaware that indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air.

Another survey also highlighted a perception gap between the recommended ventilation requirements for a modern-day home and consumers’ understanding of adequate home ventilation. 82 percent of Europeans believe that they ventilate their homes a lot but, in reality, only 40 percent ventilate for the recommended two to four times a day. VELUX ACTIVE offers a solution to insufficiently ventilated homes with its automatic regulation of indoor climate and airing intervals.

By offering an intuitive solution to improving the indoor comfort of millions of people’s homes, VELUX is future proofing the business for years to come with a truly innovative product, making homes healthier.

• Indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outside but 77% are unaware according to global YouGov survey

• Children’s bedrooms are often among the most polluted rooms in the house

• New report by VELUX examines importance of daylight and fresh air to health

Living in damp and mouldy homes increases our chance of asthma by 40% and unless we act now we risk endangering our health as a result.

A new 24/7 indoor generation is unaware that the air inside our homes and public buildings can be more polluted than outside, with the vast majority of people (77%) believing indoor air is just as polluted or cleaner than that found outside. In fact, it can be up to five times more polluted.

The VELUX Group has unveiled the results of The Indoor Generation report – a survey across 14 countries that found an overwhelming misconception about the impact on our health caused by spending too much time indoors, especially on children, whose bedrooms can be the most polluted room in the house.

The Indoor Generation refers to a growing number of people who spend the vast majority of their time indoors – currently 90 per cent of their lives – compared to previous generations.

Dr Hilary Jones GP & Health Broadcaster said: “The rapid change in our lifestyle from spending large amounts of time outdoors for work or relaxation to becoming an Indoor Generation carries with it several risks, not least when it comes to health in dark, poorly ventilated homes.

Everyday home life activities, such as cooking, cleaning, showering, lighting candles, air drying clothes indoors and even sleeping and breathing, all contribute to polluted indoor air, which over time can lead to mould and damp homes, increasing our risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Pollutants present in everyday household objects are releasing toxins into our homes – detergents and the plastic toys that we give our children to play with, as well as building materials, are just some of the items which can actually worsen our indoor air quality.

It’s believed more children will suffer from asthma or allergies unless homes and public buildings are better ventilated, and the chances of being diagnosed with asthma increase by 40% if you spend too much time in damp, mouldy buildings.

77% are unaware indoor air is more polluted than outside

The survey also found a significant disconnect between how people think we live our lives and the way we actually do, with only 18 per cent of people saying they spend 21 hours or more inside. But the actual figure is far more worrying, with previous research discovering a new ‘indoor generation’ who spend about 90 per cent of their time – and often in dark, poorly ventilated and unhealthy buildings.

VELUX has launched a short film “The Indoor Generation” to raise awareness of the importance of living in healthy homes and the small changes that everyone can make to improve their living environment and indoor air quality. It can be viewed here.

Here are six simple steps to make the air inside your home healthier:

• Open your windows at least three to four times a day to allow fresh air in
• Keep bathroom doors closed and turn on the extractor fan or open a window when showering
• Turn hood fan on when cooking and open your windows
• Don’t burn candles
• Dry clothes outside
• Clean regularly

For more, visit the Indoor Generation website. 

Watch the Indoor Generation video here 

VELUX today announces a partnership with revolutionary smart home company Netatmo. VELUX is working with Netatmo to develop innovative indoor climate solutions called VELUX Active. Both the partnership and the product concept are being announced today, in the context of CES Unveiled – the preview to the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, USA.

The first VELUX ACTIVE products are expected to launch July  2018. They will include WiFi gateway and smart controls for VELUX Integra roof windows and sunscreening products, along with a control app for iOS and Android. Based on a range of indoor climate parameters, such as temperature, sunlight levels, humidity, and CO₂ levels users will be able to automate roof window and sunscreen operation - thereby ensuring the optimum indoor climate in a home at all times.

VELUX ACTIVE has also been awarded two prestigious CES 2017 awards in the Smart Home and Eco-design & Sustainable Technologies categories.

Smart homes and home automation are predicted to be one of the next big consumer trends, with smart home revenue set to quadruple to almost 65 billion USD by 2020 [Statista, 2016] as more and more products in the home are online and inter-connected.

As part of its strategy on smart homes and the Internet of Things, in August 2016 VELUX also announced a collaboration with Apple, to develop products compatible with Apple’s HomeKit smart home platform.

So what role is left for architects and planners when we are trailing out of sync with natural lighting cycles? How can we rethink buildings so they address challenges posed by modern societies?

These are some of the topics leading architects, researchers and experts from around the world will discuss at the Daylight Symposium, to be held for the 7^th time in Berlin.

Keynote speakers
For two days they will collaborate to launch and exchange knowledge, experience and viewpoints on how to bring architecture forward and ensure it nurtures all aspects of human living.

The keynote speakers are:

• Stefan Behnisch (Germany), Behnisch Architekten, an award-winning architect and advocate of sustainable design - has led the company over the last more than 25 years as a successful international practice with offices in Stuttgart, Munich and Boston.
• Omar Gandhi (Canada), Omar Gandhi Architects (Canada) is one of Canada’s leading young architecture studios with offices in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Toronto and most recently named one of The Architectural League of New York’s ’Emerging Voices’ of 2016.
• Anne Lacaton or Jean-Philippe Vassal (France), principals of an award-winning architect firm, Lacaton & Vassal, having made reuse of existing materials and integration of daylighting in standard construction their signature architecture and adding a social dimension to architectural design.
• Lone Wiggers (Denmark), architect maa and partner in C.F. Møller with offices in Aarhus, Aalborg, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and London. Wiggers has taken part in a large number of projects with a broadness ranging from housing, domiciles, schools, hospitals, museums to planning and design.

View the programme in its entirety at http://thedaylightsite.com/symposium/2017-2/programme/

Daylighting in the Millennials by Christoph Reinhart from MIT
Building scientist and leader of MIT's Sustainable Design Lab (the US), Christoph Reinhart, will elaborate on the topic "Daylighting the Millennials" and how building and lighting concepts in today's societies need to be flexible as we now work anywhere anytime.

For more about the Daylight Symposium see: http://www.velux.com/article/2016/daylight-symposium-in-berlin

The study also reveals that close to 84 million Europeans live in damp or mouldy dwellings, which increases their risk of having respiratory diseases and life-long allergies by 40%. This proves the number of people living in unhealthy buildings remains an issue, despite recent awareness of the correlation between indoor environment and human health.

Fraunhofer IBP’s research, based on cross-sectional study, questionnaires and in-depth case studies across 32 European countries, estimates that the number of Europeans living in damp and unhealthy dwellings could be reduced by 50% by 2050, which could reduce the number of people with associated respiratory diseases by 25%. In the case of asthma, this could lead to a reduction of 550,000 people.

He points to the upcoming revision of Energy Performance of Buildings Directives (EPBD) under the Energy Union, where the framework for national building legislations will be set. Here it is key that requirements for indoor climate is part of the agenda.

How to prevent dampness in homes

According to the Fraunhofer IBP institute, dampness is one of the main defects in buildings across Europe, primarily caused by inadequate building structures and home owners’ lack of attention to ventilate sufficiently.Consequently, mould is likely to grow, however the risk of this can be reduced by taking certain precautions at home:

Moulds thrive best on surfaces with temperatures around 15^oC and in high air humidity. Walls with warmer indoor than outdoor surfaces are likely to trigger growth.

Frequent ventilation of the house is an efficient way of preventing mould to grow, and it is recommended to air out two times daily for at least ten minutes.

In April 2016 the VELUX Group completed the RenovActive project in Belgium, a home renovation based on ActiveHouse principles focusing on the building’s architectural quality, human health, comfort and well-being, energy efficiency, and environmental benefits.

A key element in the modernization is the prevention of indoor dampness and mould, which is ensured by a natural and continuous airflow in the house. Read more about RenovActive by clicking here.

The Fraunhofer IBP white paper, ‘Towards an identification of European indoor environments’ impact on health and performance,’ is now available on our website.

Following a seven-month renovation project, the VELUX Group today officially opens its latest demo building – the RenovActive house – in Brussels, Belgium. The aim is to demonstrate that climate renovation based around the Active House principles of energy efficiency and indoor comfort can be affordable.

RenovActive, an innovative answer to the challenges of renovation in Europe
Almost half of Europe’s buildings were built between 1945 and 1980, and it is estimated that 90% of residential buildings today will still be in use in 2050. It is therefore essential to renovate the aging European housing stock.

RenovActive offers a simple, innovative and affordable solution to this challenge. Using existing techniques and materials, the RenovActive concept offers an example of how to transform European housing into healthy and sustainable living space, and provides a renovation concept that can be replicated on a large scale.

Origins of the concept
Between 2009 and 2011, the VELUX group invested in the construction of six experimental demo homes across Europe, as part of the Model Home 2020 project. This project provided an understanding of what was possible in terms of meeting future needs of sustainable accommodation, using current techniques and materials. The RenovActive project takes advantage of the many lessons learned from this experience in order to meet current renovation challenges.

To implement RenovActive, VELUX joined forces with "Le Foyer Anderlechtois", a social housing association which owns 3,740 housing units in Brussels. An 80m² semi-detached house built in the 1920s and in an advanced state of disrepair has been completely renovated, to offer its new inhabitants high-quality accommodation. The renovation has been carried out within the budgetary framework of Brussels Social Housing. Between now and 2018, le Foyer Anderlechtois plans to renovate 86 houses based on the RenovActive concept.

Renovation + Active House = RenovActive
The RenovActive concept is based on the Active House principles, designed to balance comfort (through a healthy indoor climate with a maximum amount of natural light[1] and optimal ventilation[2]), energy efficiency and respect for the environment.

The RenovActive concept comprises seven replicable renovation elements:

1. Installation of windows on the front of the house and the roof in order to provide maximum daylight.
2. Positioning of a stairwell lit by two skylights in the centre of the house to provide natural light on every floor as well as "stack effect" ventilation.
3. Installation of a hybrid ventilation system, combining natural and mechanical ventilation.
4. Installation of exterior solar protection for optimal thermal comfort.
5. Creation of an effective thermal envelope by insulating the exterior, with new roofing and vertical windows.
6. Installation of a simple and comfortable heating system, comprising underfloor heating on the ground floor and radiators for the upper floors.
7. Construction of an extension to gain floor space on the ground floor.

Timeline of the project
RenovActive opens its doors on 18 May 2016 and is available for visits for a period of one year. In spring 2017, a family with three children will occupy the house for two years. During this period, energy, heat and water consumption, as well as the interaction of the family with the house, will be monitored and analysed.

About RenovActive partners
The architectural design of the house was entrusted to the architects ONO Architectuur. The implementation and monitoring of works was undertaken by the Troubleyn company.

VELUX joined forces with various commercial partners, who provided products for the renovation of the house. The Saint-Gobain group, Renson, Grundfos, Somfy and Wienerberger enthusiastically supported the RenovActive project[3].

With regard to furnishing the home, Kvik and De Kringwinkel partnered with RenovActive for the kitchens and some of the interior furnishings, respectively.

[1] For more information about natural light within the RenovActive please look under the downloads at Natural light is invited in the RenovActive house (in French)

[2] For more information about ventilation within the RenovActive please look under the downloads at Healthy living starts with a quality habitat demonstrated by the RenovActive home (in French)

[3] For more information about The RenoveActive house partners:

https://renovactive.velux.be/en/the-house/partners/

Although some schools have CO2 levels between the recommended rates of 1,000 to 2,000 ppm, this study shows that many schools have levels which are in excess of 2,000 ppm, and in some tests, scientists have recorded readings of up to 6,000 ppm. Furthermore, a number of schools did not achieve a daylight factor of 3-5%, the recommended the level of daylight in classrooms.

Improved indoor climate = improved performance

The study also reports the impact of an optimum indoor environment on the learning capabilities of school children. The researchers found that improving ventilation rates, reducing the CO2 concentration and increasing access to daylight in classrooms improves pupils’ performance in the sense of speed, higher levels of attention and concentration and lower rates of absenteeism. For example, the researchers came to the conclusion that the speed at which pupils work can be increased by up to 15% by simply increasing the amount of fresh air into the room.

However, the benefits of higher levels of achievement in education are not confined to the individuals. When comparing the educational levels between European countries, using a conditional test score based on PISA tests, the study shows that a correlation to the conditional growth within those countries exists. The researchers report that an increase of school childrens’ performance by 2.8% would lead to a 6.7% - 9.5% increase in the conditional economic growth of the country (based on GDP per capita).

How to improve the indoor environment in schools

The report concludes with a number of ways to improve the indoor climate in schools. Firstly, as most schools in Europe have been designed for natural ventilation, more time should be set aside for airing during lessons. However, mechanical ventilation systems, such as motorized windows, can also ensure an optimum level of air quality without changing the behaviour of teachers in lessons. By monitoring relative humidity, CO2 concentrations and temperature, the system simply switches itself on when fresh air is needed. Lastly, hybrid ventilation systems, such as fan assisted natural ventilation, have now been developed which combine the advantages of both natural and mechanical ventilation. The report also notes that when it comes to daylight, skylights can increase the incidence of natural light by up to 50%.

The VELUX Group’s renovation projects at Langebjerg School and Endrup School are perfect examples of how more access to daylight and fresh air can transform the learning environment. For example, at Langebjerg School, the teachers greatly appreciated the installation of VELUX INTEGRA® Roof Windows, as ventilation to the upper part of the classrooms now prevents the uncomfortable drafts that occur when façade windows are opened to air out the rooms. 

The Fraunhofer IBP white paper, ‘Impact of the indoor environment on learning in schools in Europe,’ is now available for download. 

The Healthy Homes Barometer study surveyed 14,000 people across 14 European countries in order to achieve a better understanding of how Europeans’ homes affect their health.

How to diagnose an unhealthy home

The study points to five characteristics of European homes that determine whether our homes are healthy or unhealthy. They are: good sleeping conditions; comfortable indoor temperatures; sufficient amounts of daylight; fresh air; and healthy levels of humidity.

The evidence is clear. Europeans who live in cold houses or have mould in their home are approximately 50% more likely to suffer from illnesses like nose or throat infections. Meanwhile, if the home allows for a good night’s sleep, Europeans are 50% more likely to feel they have good health and feel energized. Having enough daylight in the home almost halves the risk of being low on energy, while people who never air out their homes are twice as likely to suffer from low energy levels compared to Europeans who do so two-to-four times daily.

These characteristics are related to both home construction and habits of everyday use.

Health and home satisfaction go hand in hand

Healthy homes are good not only for our bodies, but they also lift our sense of home satisfaction. For example, good sleep quality, lots of fresh air, plenty of daylight and appropriate levels of humidity are all amongst the top contributors to home satisfaction. Good indoor climate even trumps the expense of energy costs when looking at what creates most home satisfaction.

Raising quality of life – saving society billions

The potential for lifting European health and quality of life are huge. In the study, one in four feel their health is below par, one in four never feel energized and half of all Europeans suffer from sore throats and runny noses.

Data from the UK Office of National Statistics show that 27 million working days were lost in 2013 in the UK alone due to minor illnesses like coughs, colds or flu. Preventing these could save society billions and increase productivity.

The results of the study will be presented at the 2^nd Healthy Buildings Day conference on April 20^th in Brussels, Belgium.

The consequences of unhealthy homes in Europe

• Europeans who live in cold houses are approximately 50% more likely to suffer from nose and throat infections

  78% of Europeans live in houses that were too cold at some point during the last winter. 15% report this to be the case all or most of the time.

• Europeans whose home allows for a good night’s sleep are 50% more likely to feel they have good health and are energized

  71% of Europeans do not have optimal sleeping conditions in their home. One in three report their sleep quality within the last four weeks as either very bad or fairly bad.

• Europeans who never air out their homes are twice as likely to suffer from low energy levels compared to Europeans who air out 2-4 times daily

  59% of Europeans do not air out at least twice a day.

• Having enough daylight in the home almost halves the risk of being low on energy

  40% of Europeans who lack daylight in their living room never or very seldom feel energized. If daylight levels are appropriate, the share drops to 23%.

• Europeans who have mould in their home are 50% more likely to suffer dryness or irritation of the throat

  Among Europeans with mould in their home, up to 60% experience dryness or irritation of the throat. For Europeans who do not have this problem the share is 40%.

Download the Healthy Homes Barometer 2016 at http://emagcreator.com/VELUX/HHB_2016/

This is the surprising conclusion from a new study among 12,000 Europeans in 12 countries. The study is the biggest yet to highlight Europeans’ views and behaviour in relation to the healthy home.

A healthy home, or more accurately a home that supports a healthy human life, has been surveyed as part of a list of nine aspects of our everyday life that can make us more or less healthy. Of these nine, ventilating the home for fresh air comes out second, and having plenty of daylight in the home comes out fourth. And what we actually do the most in our home, sleeping well at night, comes out as the number one thing you need to make sure to look out for if you wish to stay healthy. Avoiding tobacco comes out sixth, whereas regular exercise comes out seventh among the nine.

The study was performed by the research institute, Wilke, in order to achieve a better understanding of how Europeans think about the healthy home, and Michael K. Rasmussen, Chief Marketing Officer of the VELUX Group, is surprised by the result:

Despite his optimism, Michael K. Rasmussen also sees warning signs. Given what we know about Europe’s current building stock and Europeans’ behaviour as documented by the Healthy Homes Barometer 2015, Europeans are perhaps in general too optimistic when it comes to the indoor environment in their homes. A new study from the Frauenhofer-Institut für Bauphysik from 2014 revealed that 80 million Europeans live in homes that are damp. Damp homes have an unhealthy indoor climate, which almost doubles the risk of developing asthma. In other words, if Europeans were more aware of how unhealthy their homes were, they would probably be less satisfied.

The new study also shows that Europeans neglect to air out sufficiently in the cold winter months. Almost one quarter of all Europeans neglect the daily change of the indoor air in the wintertime.

Also, drying clothes indoors is a bad habit that Europeans apparently have a hard time shaking off. 65% of all Europeans dry clothes indoors a least once a week, thus increasing the risk of mould and dampness. A significant number of Europeans also sleep in less than complete darkness, thereby reducing the quality of their sleep.

About the Healthy Homes Barometer

The Healthy Homes Barometer is a study by the VELUX Group.

It is based on an analysis presenting key findings from a pan-European study investigating European citizens’ attitudes and behaviour regarding home comfort, energy consumption and environmental impact. Once a year, changes in these indicators will be measured and reported in a Healthy Homes Barometer publication.

Methodology

During October 2014, a questionnaire was answered by 12,000 Europeans in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and the UK.

The twelve countries surveyed represent more than 375 million Europeans, accounting for more than 70% of the total European population. Furthermore, the selected countries represent a variety of sizes and geographic locations.

The questionnaire and analysis were carried out by independent consultancies, Operate A/S and Wilke. Academic consultancy for the Healthy Homes Barometer is provided by Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Bernd Wegener, Humboldt University, Berlin.

Join the discussion anytime at #HealthyBuildings

The Fraunhofer white paper pinpoints key findings from a larger literature screening of the impact of European indoor environments on health and performance in homes and schools.

The main findings are as follows:

As a result of global discussions about climate changes and energy savings, today’s building regulations focus mainly on energy efficiency in buildings. However, this increased attention to energy efficiency does not include any measures to ensure that our buildings are healthy and stimulate our bodies, minds and creativity.

Daylight has a huge effect on the human body and mind. A lack of daylight has negative effects on mental health, whereas exposure to a sufficient amount of daylight can help patient recovery and shorten time spent in hospital.

Lack of ventilation is closely linked to the problems of damp, indoor humidity and mould. If ventilation rate is too low, respiratory infections can occur.

The VELUX Group’s Model Home 2020 demonstration buildings prove that the knowhow and technology to create healthy and energy efficient buildings are already in place. The buildings of tomorrow can be built today, buildings that comply with the predicted EU building energy standards for 2020, without compromising on indoor comfort.

The next essential steps are incentives for homeowners to renovate their houses and public authorities to take action and kick-start renovation of schools, hospitals and public buildings.

The Fraunhofer white paper, “Towards an identification of European indoor environments’ impact on health and performance”, is available at www.velux.com/healthybuildings

There are many good reasons for turning buildings into safe, efficient and healthy places. A study by the Technical University of Denmark shows that pupils' learning abilities can be improved by up to 15% when the indoor climate is improved, and those students with the most daylight in their classrooms progressed 20% faster in maths tests and 26% in reading tests.

Furthermore, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 10-50% of the indoor environments where people live, work and play in Europe are damped, and that humid buildings are known to cause health problems such as allergies and asthma. On the other hand, new or retrofitted buildings that are too airtight can overheat which also has implications on health and well-being.

These findings from Dr. Richard Hobday's research will be presented at the annual IARU Sustainability Science Congress in Copenhagen from the 22nd to the 24th of october, where Dr. Hobday will address sustainability from a health perspective.

Sustainability is, according to Dr. Hobday, also about creating a built environment that stimulates both body and mind. Buildings such as hospitals, schools and child care centres are places that particularly need a good and healthy indoor climate as it reduces the risk of diseases and strengthens the health, learning ability, and self-development.

The Danish child care centre the Sunhouse (Solhuset) in Hørsholm is a tangible proof that this is within reach to meet future requirements for sustainable buildings and at the same time - to provide a healthy and stimulating indoor climate. Based on the "Active House principles" – defining buildings with healthy indoor climate that minimise its energy use and environmental impact – it has become one of the most climate friendly day care centres in Denmark.

At completion in 2011 the Sunhouse managed to set new standards for sustainable child care centres. It is carbon neutral and renewable energy driven and it has tripled the amount of daylight defined by the Danish building codes. On top of all this, children have gained a nest where they can learn, live and play in harmony with nature.

The Sunhouse, is one of the VELUX Group's 21 demonstration buildings and is open for visits by the press on Friday, 24 October, where it will be possible to meet the dedicated team and see children unfolding themselves in spacious and brightened indoor environments.

Through its 21 demonstration buildings, using existing products, processes and technologies, the VELUX Group has proved that the buildings of tomorrow can actually be build today. Buildings that comply with the predicted EU building energy standards for 2020 without compromising on indoor comfort, health and well-being. That is the VELUX Group's contribution to the quest for a more healthy and sustainable future.

About the study

The study is based on a model derived by Professor Marilyne Andersen of EPFL in Switzerland. The model relies on photobiology literature to extract threshold light exposures at the eye for various moments of the day and, from there, an indication of how likely a given light exposure is to achieve non-visual effects such as alertness increase or circadian entrainment.

The simulation framework used in the study is developed by Professor John Mardaljevic of the School of Civil and Building Engineering at Loughborough University in UK.

The study is part of an ongoing program of research by Professor Marilyne Andersen at EPFL (to integrate dynamic aspects related to timing, history and spectrum of light exposure) and Professor John Mardaljevic at Loughborough (to extend the simulation capabilities) with the goal of providing a basis for the evaluation of the non-visual effects of daylight that could one day be incorporated in building standards and design guidelines.

Excellent indoor climate
Measurements show that the natural ventilation, sunscreening and the large window area of 40% of the floor area (compared to the normal 20-25%) all contribute to an excellent indoor climate. The influx of light is extraordinary, coming from all directions, and the automatic sunscreening and natural ventilation ensure that there is always fresh air and a comfortable indoor temperature, even on hot summer days.
"The new measurements show that we can already meet the legislation of 2020 energy consumption requirements. It is also possible to ensure a good indoor climate all year round in the same sustainable house. They show that natural ventilation is a prerequisite for being able to maintain a good thermal indoor climate in the summer and avoid overheating, even in a house that has daylight entering from all directions," says Project Director Lone Feifer of VELUX Group.

The measurements show that the kitchen-dining area, the family's natural gathering point, in particular attains Category I status for thermal comfort in terms of overheating; that is the best of four classes (I, II, III, IV) in the European standard EN 15251 for indoor climate. And because there is automatic ventilation through the facade and roof windows, the indoor climate is excellent, even in the hot summer months.
The family who owns the house look on the good indoor climate as a great bonus for their sustainable home and perceive the sunscreening system almost as an extension of their own central nervous system.
"It took some time to get used to the sunscreening coming down on its own and the roof windows opening and shutting of their own accord, but we are delighted with it and look upon the house as our 'gadget'. In fact, the sunscreening works so well that it almost feels as if it is coupled to our nervous system. As soon as we start squinting and think the sun is getting a bit too glaring, it starts moving the blinds for us," says owner of Home for Life Kurt Kristensen.

Focus on renewable energy
Home for Life focuses on renewable energy and was designed and built as a carbon-neutral house. Cal-culated by building regulation requirements, the house produces more energy that it uses, so figures for the second year of operation are -25 kWh/m2/yr. The house thus meets the Building Regulations for 2020.
Home for Life is the first of six experimental demo building in the VELUX project Model Home 2020. All six are now completed. Read more about each building and the Active House principles on which they are based at www.velux.com/modelhome2020 and www.activehouse.info.
The VELUX Group creates better living environments with daylight and fresh air through the roof. The VELUX product programme contains a wide range of roof windows and skylights, along with solutions for flat roofs. The Group also supplies many types of decoration and sun screening, roller shutters, in-stallation products, products for remote control and thermal solar panels for installation in roofs.
The VELUX Group, which has manufacturing companies in 11 countries and sales companies in just under 40 countries, represents one of the strongest brands in the global building materials sector and its products are sold in most parts of the world. The VELUX Group has about 10,000 employees and is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company wholly owned by foundations and family. For more details, visit www.velux.com.
Home for Life in Lystrup, north of Århus, has an excellent indoor climate, an extraordinary light influx and a minimal energy level.

• Livability: Everybody has a home, where they want to feel secure and in control. Sustainable buildings demand the right balance between low energy consumption, the use of renewable energy and people's interaction with the house and the technology controlling it. Cost / benefit: When we include the cost of the building over a long period and not just the construction cost, we have the financial arguments to build sustainable.
• Innovation: We must address existing and new buildings with innovative approaches, system solutions and process design. The architecture of today has to be research-based, and every choice must be documented with calculations on its impact.
  
  Sustainable Living in Buildings was one out of seven workshops feeding into the Green Growth Council. The council met to discuss the output and to collate them into the manifest that will recommend how we can attain sustainable and green growth.
  
  "At the council we had the luxury of having a large body of evidence generated from the workshops of how business, society and cities are working together with and towards green growth," says Michael K. Rasmussen Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategic Initiative Sustainable Living, VELUX Group. He continues:
  
  "Since we in the western world spend 90% of our time indoors, buildings are not just a fo-cus area for the VELUX Group but for business and society as a whole. Sustainable buildings with a healthy indoor climate, whether retrofitted or new build, can increase learning ability amongst youngsters by 20%, enhance productivity in our workplaces and improve livability in our homes. This is what the VELUX Group will continue working for together with our partners and associates from Green Growth Leaders."
  
  This message is reflected in the Take Lead manifesto that includes both a vision of a sus-tainable society and a catalogue of concrete solutions on how to create green growth. The manifesto will be giving to the EU Commission for Climate Action, OECD, the Danish government, C40 and the UN Global Compact.
  
  About the VELUX GroupThe VELUX Group creates better living environments with daylight and fresh air through the roof. The VELUX product programme contains a wide range of roof windows and skylights, along with solutions for flat roofs. The Group also supplies many types of decoration and sun screening, roller shutters, installation products, products for remote control and thermal solar panels for installation in roofs. The VELUX Group, which has manufacturing companies in 11 countries and sales companies in just under 40 countries, represents one of the strongest brands in the global building materials sector and its products are sold in most parts of the world. The VELUX Group has about 10,000 employees and is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company wholly owned by foundations and family. For more details, visit www.velux.com.
  
  Videos with the keynote speeches giving at the workshop are available on: http://www.velux.com/sustainable_living/workshop_sustainability.aspx
  
  For broadcast-standard video supporting this press release, please visit: www.thenewsmarket.com/Velux.
  If you are a first-time user, please take a moment to register. In case you have any questions, please email journalisthelp@thenewsmarket.com.

Lisa Heschong is the principal of Heschong Mahone Group and a licensed architect who has divided her professional practice between energy research, writing and building design. As a researcher, she led the project teams which analysed the impacts of daylighting on human performance for the Daylighting and Productivity Studies funded through Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the California Energy Commission.
"It is time for architects, engineers and designers worldwide to always consider these impacts in design for the built environment. Beyond good design practice, it is perhaps time to demand daylighted environments through codes and standards that make well-daylighted buildings the rule, rather than the exception. In schools, where mankind's future spends much of its waking hours, it is a no-brainer", says by James R. Benya, an independent lighting and daylighting consultant with a broad international practice.
"Most architects are passionate about the use of daylight in architecture. All architects have an opinion about light, but they rarely analyse daylight conditions in their buildings in advance. We want to help provide the necessary knowledge and tools to promote thorough research and analysis", says Per Arnold Andersen, department head of Daylight, Energy and Indoor Climate from VELUX.

At the first symposium in Budapest, linking daylight as a science with daylight as a vital architectural element in practical building design was discussed. This debate continued in Bilbao, and Dr. John Mardaljevic from the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development at De Montfort University in England criticised the traditional daylight factor method, established a half-century ago. Because it is founded on illuminance ratios under a standard overcast sky, the daylight factor is insensitive to both the orientation of the building and any notion of climate.

"Recently developed computer simulation techniques can accurately predict luminous quantities using realistic sun and sky conditions that are derived from standard meteorological datasets. These climate-based modelling approaches reveal the true daylighting potential of buildings and can be used to predict a variety of illumination metrics at all stages of the design evaluation process", says John Mardaljevic.
Throughout its history, VELUX has keenly focused on the optimal use of daylight in all kinds of buildings. This keen interest is naturally linked to the skylight window, a product which the company has developed and refined for more than 60 years. Through the design and production of its windows and accessories, which regulate the inflow of light and control sunlight, as well as initiatives relating to legislation and research in the areas of daylight and indoor environment, the company has continued to express its interest in the use of daylight.

Stimulating an interest in daylight in modern architecture is an important mission for VELUX - not only the daylight that enters through the products VELUX manufactures – but also daylight in general. From large-scale town planning to the individual building and its space. The VELUX Daylight Symposium and the international award assignment for students of architecture - "the International VELUX Award for Students of Architecture" with the com-mon theme of "Light of Tomorrow" are some of the most important initiatives in this area.
Read about the VELUX Daylight Symposium 2007 and all its findings by logging onto: www.thedaylightsite.com

For more information please contact:
Lone Ellersgaard
Communications Manager
VELUX A/S
Ådalsvej 99
2970 Hørsholm
Phone: +45 45 16 48 18
E-mail: press@velux.com

About VELUX
VELUX creates better living environments with daylight and fresh air through the roof. Our product programme contains a wide range of roof windows and skylights, along with solutions for flat roofs. In addition, VELUX offers many types of decoration and sun screening, roller shutters, installation prod-ucts, products for remote control and thermal solar panels for installation in roofs. VELUX, which has manufacturing companies in 10 countries and sales companies in just under 40 countries, is one of the strongest brands in the global building materials sector and its products are sold in most parts of the world. The VELUX Group has around 9,500 employees and is owned by VKR Holding A/S. VKR Holding A/S is a limited company wholly owned by foundations and family. For more details, visit www.velux.com.