Bio-construction or sustainable architecture are hashtags that go along with conventional architecture to revolutionise it, from the foundations up, with a key premise: human beings must live inside houses. An idea as obvious as it is challenging. We spoke to the architect and expert in bio-construction, Sonia Hernández-Montaño.

Have you ever wondered what materials your home has been built with, what lighting prevails, or how the distribution of spaces is affecting your mood? Arquitectura sana is the name of the project, and also the philosophy, that Sonia’s team took to Catalonia in 2009 with the aim of making our homes more habitable from a human and well-being point of view.

Most of our time is spent in enclosed spaces, but we are generally unaware of the extent to which these spaces can have a direct impact on our physical and mental health. In a new episode of People, Hernández-Montaño highlights all the elements and practices we need to take into account to improve our lives.

The unseen well-being

Construction is constantly evolving, and in recent decades has incorporated technological elements and new materials. Hernández-Montaño points out, however, that “along the way we have forgotten that there are people inside buildings, that buildings not only have to consume less energy and minimise the resources used, but that we also have to sustain life inside”. He argues that we are all architects, and we can all use this health tool to support people’s well-being.

Among the most important aspects, we find some key actions to maintain the quality of life inside the spaces, starting with ventilation, a key point if it is carried out in the right way and that can even reduce pollution that may come from outside. The second key point is lighting, the “conductor of our biological clock” which has to change according to the time of day to follow our circadian rhythm.

It is also essential to take into account and reduce the presence of pollutants in the interior spaces, an objective that is reflected in the choice of materials, whether in construction, furniture, or cleaning products. Listen to the entire conversation to discover the rest of the tips that will make your home a healthy space.

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