Regenerative renovations

Biobased building materials not only store CO2 but also have health benefits for both ecology and indoor climate. However, this additional health value depends on the application and is not yet quantifiable compared to traditional building materials.
This research aims to develop a framework for a 'lifecycle health assessment' that provides insight into the solution space for integrally healthy material choices in renovations.

Intended results are:

• The design of a framework for a 'material life-cycle health assessment';
• A contribution to a biobased materials catalog;
• Input for health guidelines as a supplement to the Dutch “Het Nieuwe Normaal’ (the New Normal).

For the functioning of this framework is focused on the entire life cycle of selected biobased products made from natural raw materials (cattail, mycelium, and wood) and non-biobased material. Due to the breadth of this topic, collaboration takes place with many different companies, (international) universities of applied sciences, and researchers.

Health and construction have hardly any relationship with each other in professional and educational practice, while the relationship in the living environment is obvious. An integrated approach in both practices is necessary to prevent our health from being threatened by traditional way of building.