Comfort and sustainability in construction

The process of design and construction play key roles in the wellbeing of a city’s population. Humans spend most part of their lives in built spaces, so it’s pretty important to fully acknowledge each place’s specific conditions in order to create the best possible built environment for everyone. In addition to the challenges that are being posed by the climate crisis and the continuous search for sustainability, the issue becomes way more complex than ever before. Here’s an outlook at the connection between comfort and sustainability in construction.

One of the most controversial disputes nowadays is related to this apparent contradiction between comfort and sustainability.

Even though this sets a new level of complications, it’s not an impossible challenge. The purpose must then be to approach each project according to its specific climate and geographic conditions in order to come up with the perfect solution. To create a sustainable building must not equate uncomfortable spaces. And comfortable spaces are not exclusively achieved through expensive and polluting ways.

There are sustainable materials, such as mycelium, that provide an effective thermal insulation while being biodegradable and requiring much less energy throughout their production process. These materials provide affordable and environmentally friendly solutions that also offer a considerable reduction in energy requirements for the building’s life.

Another important aspect that impacts the comfort that a building offers is its air quality. While in other times this may have been solved through technological means, nowadays we must not ignore that every element we incorporate will add up to the building’s carbon footprint. This is why natural ventilation and illumination has become increasingly valuable in the development of construction projects. If this is well executed, both objectives are achieved. 

There is no universal path for comfortable and sustainable projects, as each of them must respond to the conditions that surround them. Have you faced these challenges in your work? Share your insight with us! We would love to know all about it!

Human comfort in buildings, Designing Buildings
Health, Comfort, and Well-being, Harvard Energy & Facilities