Measuring the wellbeing benefits of interior materials

Measuring the wellbeing benefits of interior materials: Research programme WISER (Wellbeing: Improving Satisfaction of End users in Refurbishment (IP 20/12) was written by K Livesey and published by BRE on 13 August 2012.

The internal environment of buildings has been shown to be a major contributor to the quality of life of occupants. Health and wellbeing is affected both by direct physical impacts, such as the effects of allergens and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and more subtle psychological effects such as those acting on mood, emotion and motivation.

This 12-page Information Paper offers an introduction to wellbeing in buildings and presents the findings of a BRE Trust project, ‘Measuring the wellbeing benefits of interior material selection’, which focussed on end users’ wellbeing beyond the scope of indoor air quality.

The objective of the project was to put occupants at the heart of the sustainable refurbishment and refit of buildings. BRE's WISER data-collection tool and Five golden rules guide enable decision makers to choose materials for refurbishment and refit projects that support the wellbeing of occupants. During the project, BRE uncovered a demand from built environment professionals, who complained there was a lack of clear, comprehensive, accessible information in this area.

You can download the Information Paper at: https://www.brebookshop.com/details.jsp?id=327000

--BRE Group

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