Buildings as Habitat: Biodiversity-Informed Investments in Public Health

“First we shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.”  - Winston Churchill (attributed) The natural world is humanity's original habitat. This habitat supports our physiological energy efficiency and is an important health intervention for the AEC industry. These are core perspectives that Helena van Vliet shares in this joint PHA-Building Science Podcast interview. Helena makes the clear case that we are “open systems” - we take in our environments, both physically and with our perceptions. Whether outdoors or indoors, our physical selves have their own experience of each environment we inhabit. This experience first informs our bodies, which have their own reactions of ease or dis-ease; and next, seemingly at the same time, this experience then informs our minds and our psychological reality comes to life. This interview is yet another beacon guiding us to deeply rethink how we deliver indoor spaces to ourselves. Enjoy the nourishing feast of ideas here!