Bioarchitecture: the New Age of building

A new decade is on the horizon and every area of society continues its evolution towards modernisation and innovation.

The new challenges we face such as global warming and health concerns, also translate into the way we live and build. Architecture is changing and moving towards a new concept known as ‘bioarchitecture.’  

This concept comprises all the architecture that seeks to establish a balanced relationship between the build, the environment and the people who live in these spaces. At a constructive level, these buildings give the best and most efficient use to energy resources, in order to generate the least impact on the local environment. The end goal of bioarchitecture is to build a home that looks after your health through elements like materials and design.

In Spain, this architectonic discipline is still in its very first stages of development, but ecological awareness is slowly helping these types of build to gain popularity. The concept of the healthy home follows five key points that are necessary to achieve the objective.

A good location is especially important in bioarchitecture. A south facing house in winter will benefit from the biggest amount of heat and natural lights without having to resort to excess heating and electricity. Its also paramount to avoid highly polluting locations, such as plots close to roads, industrial areas or high voltage networks.

It’s also essential to take into account the local climate. Bioarchitects believe that it isn’t natural to sleep uncovered in winter with the heating on and under a blanket in summer with the air conditioning on at full blast. These environments must ensure that the temperature is never too high or too low, with an average humidity of 50 per cent.

Building must be done without materials that are derived from chemical products and avoid any type of electromagnetic waves. It’s also preferable if the materials are sourced from the area, renewable and reusable. The use of proximity materials that have suffered little transformation will reduce CO2 emission, especially if they don’t require transportation.

It’s worth highlighting that not only new residential projects can benefit from this type of architecture. Homes can be rehabilitated to create a healthier environment. With better, non-toxic materials and remodelling, we can reduce the impact on the environment and our health.