The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Barry Ness

Barry Ness

Senior Lecturer, Docent

Barry Ness

Healthy indoor environments : The need for a holistic approach

Author

  • Aneta Wierzbicka
  • Eja Pedersen
  • Roger Persson
  • Birgitta Nordquist
  • Kristian Stålne
  • Chuansi Gao
  • Lars Erik Harderup
  • Jonas Borell
  • Héctor Caltenco
  • Barry Ness
  • Emilie Stroh
  • Yujing Li
  • Mats Dahlblom
  • Karin Lundgren-Kownacki
  • Christina Isaxon
  • Anders Gudmundsson
  • Pawel Wargocki
Show all

Summary, in English

Indoor environments have a large impact on health and well-being, so it is important to understand what makes them healthy and sustainable. There is substantial knowledge on individual factors and their effects, though understanding how factors interact and what role occupants play in these interactions (both causative and receptive) is lacking. We aimed to: (i) explore interactions between factors and potential risks if these are not considered from holistic perspective; and (ii) identify components needed to advance research on indoor environments. The paper is based on collaboration between researchers from disciplines covering technical, behavioural, and medical perspectives. Outcomes were identified through literature reviews, discussions and workshops with invited experts and representatives from various stakeholder groups. Four themes emerged and were discussed with an emphasis on occupant health: (a) the bio-psycho-social aspects of health; (b) interaction between occupants, buildings and indoor environment; (c) climate change and its impact on indoor environment quality, thermal comfort and health; and (d) energy efficiency measures and indoor environment. To advance the relevant research, the indoor environment must be considered a dynamic and complex system with multiple interactions. This calls for a transdisciplinary and holistic approach and effective collaboration with various stakeholders.

Department/s

  • Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology
  • Environmental Psychology
  • Department of Psychology
  • Division of Building Services
  • Division of Building Physics
  • Certec - Rehabilitation Engineering and Design
  • LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
  • Planetary Health
  • EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health
  • Genetic Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Publishing year

2018-09-01

Language

English

Publication/Series

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Volume

15

Issue

9

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

MDPI AG

Topic

  • Environmental Health and Occupational Health

Keywords

  • Healthy indoor environment
  • Holistic approach
  • Indoor environment quality
  • Multidisciplinary studies

Status

Published

Research group

  • Environmental Psychology
  • Planetary Health
  • Genetic Occupational and Environmental Medicine

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1661-7827