Buildings energy sustainability and health research via interdisciplinarity and harmony

Abstract

Emphasizing that sustainable development, health, social security and renewable energy sources implementation are inextricably linked, paper examines the state of the art of building's health and sustainability relevant technologies. Sustainability definitions, relevant criteria and indicators related to healthy buildings have been searched and studied. Reviewed is the wide range of physically sound interdisciplinary research, results of which are new knowledge and developed synergetic analytical/experimental methods that lead to a sustainable, healthy, comfortable/productive indoor and outdoor environment. Research and knowledge based building intelligence and e-automation are elucidated as crucial technologies and techniques for design, construction and operation of sustainable buildings. Study shows, that qualitative relations and relevant comparative evaluation methods between indoor environmental quality and work performance or health, and further relation of both to the energy and energy efficiency, are not enough neither known nor searched. Initiated research is devoted to the healthy and sustainable buildings relevant performance modeling, evaluation methods and metrics investigation, and determination of all relevant interdependent relations, as well as determination of the relevant synergetic sustainability criteria and indicators. Initial results of related research are presented. Further research needs are outlined, drawing the attention on the role of harmony and interdisciplinarity in synergetic buildings health/sustainability study. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.