Is your house making you sick? Check the design

Do you usually wake up with a cough or a sneeze every morning? Well, the house you live in could be a major contributing factor.

According to the World Green Building Council, good ventilation and a proper source of light are important for a relatively healthy lifestyle. However, in a move to cut costs, developers often bypass some essential fixtures such as adequate windows while natural lighting is compromised by a high density of structures.

The council says buildings should be constructed with a view to ensuring people are comfortable in their daily environments through the creation of the right indoor temperature during the various seasons of the year. Such temperature ought not be controlled by mechanical devices like air conditioners, some of which may end up dampening the house and making room for mould to grow.

In addition, certain construction materials could be a recipe for poor health that ends up diverting crucial family finances to curing the ailments. Some of the materials include lead-based paints that could lead to constant headaches. Use of asbestos for roofing, though rare, could lead to some forms of cancer. A number of residential and office buildings in Kenya built 30 or 40 years ago contain asbestos.

Without addressing the causes of these sicknesses, doctor visits can only increase.

“Incorporating natural light and views ensure building users’ comfort and enjoyment of their surroundings, thus reducing lighting energy needs in the process,” says the council.

A healthy design goes beyond our homes. Our children spend a good part of the day in classrooms. Poorly-built schools can affect not just the health but the overall grades of a child.

The Green Building Council says schools should be designed for the ears and the eyes as well. “In the education, health and residential sectors, acoustics and proper sound insulation play important roles in helping concentration, recuperation, and peaceful enjoyment of property,” it notes.

In any case, the high quality of life in a well-designed home or school leads to productive members of society – workers with less sick leave days and children who are rarely absent from school due to illness.