Gezondheidsrelevante ontwikkelingen in het binnenmilieu van woningen

Abstract

Health-relevant developments in the indoor environment of homes The relation between the indoor environment and health has long been a topic of interest for policy makers and scientists. The Health Council of the Netherlands recently published a horizon scan of developments in this field, titled “A healthy indoor environment in the future”. Past indoor issues related to ventilation, moisture, building materials, heating and cooking, consumer products, and smoking. Much has been achieved, but many issues are persistent. More grip is needed on the indoor environment as a whole. In the future, new developments will gain relevance for indoor health. These include: climate change, urbanisation, building transformations and renovations, domotics, increasing technology in the home, aging of the population, immigration, increasing home care, and increasing work from home. These developments are highly interwoven with other societal challenges. Their indoor environmental implications should however not be overlooked. The Council concluded that the developments require a more integrated, proactive approach to the indoor environment and to the design and construction of buildings. The current, fragmented approach is insufficient. Better direction is needed, as well as scanning for emerging issues, and structural monitoring of the effects of developments and policies.