Building Biology

A balanced interrelationship between humans and nature has always been a challenge. With the advent of the industrial revolution, however, humans gained access to technologies that have a far greater potential for abuse and destruction than ever before. After World War II, humans started to utilize a vast array of synthetic chemicals with an unknown track record and electricity became readily available in the Western world. Today everything goes wireless.

Authenticity and sustainability of natural building materials were overlooked in favor of convenience. As a result, environmental illnesses are a reality now, including sick building syndrome, building-related illness, multiple chemical sensitivity, and electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Degenerative diseases, also known as lifestyle diseases, are currently the number one killers in the Western world.

This development gave rise to an alternative movement and, in German-speaking countries, building biology was born as the art and science of the interconnectedness between human well-being and the living spaces humans inhabit. Its holistic concept of design and building creates living spaces that harmonize both with their occupants and the environment, drawing on ancient wisdom and scientific knowledge.

The term Baubiologie or building biology was first coined by Hubert Palm MD, a medical doctor from Germany. In his practice, he noticed that an ever-increasing number of his patients complained about headaches, poor sleep, and allergies. In order to find out what caused this mysterious increase in degenerative diseases, he not only took a closer look at his patients’ diets, but also at the buildings where they would spend most of their time to live, work, and sleep. It became obvious to him that when the “third skin,” as he referred to the house, is sick, healing becomes impossible for those living therein. In 1968, he summarized his findings in the classic book “Das gesunde Haus - Das kranke Haus und seine Heilung (The Healthy Home or How to Heal a Sick Building).”

Peter Schmid PhD, an innovative architect, accomplished scholar, and dedicated yoga instructor from Austria, decided early on in his career to only get involved in building projects that neither harm our health, pollute our environment, nor damage any “third world” countries. In 1970 he co-founded the world’s first institute of building biology in Austria.

In Germany, the wood engineer Anton Schneider PhD taught the first course on building biology at the Rosenheim Technical College in 1972. Four years later, he founded the Institut für Baubiologie (today Institute of Building Biology + Ecology Neubeuern IBN), which among many other things publishes, updates, and facilitates the building biology correspondence course. Today building biology is taught as part of architecture studies at many German universities.

Back in 1987, the architect Helmut Ziehe, a student of professor Anton Schneider, took the building biology message overseas and established the International Institute of Building Biology and Ecology in Clearwater (USA). He initiated an English online study program for building biology in 2003, which is based on the IBN correspondence course. Five of these online course modules (Electromagnetic Radiation , Electric Home Wiring , Indoor Climate , Natural Colors and Finishes , Light and Lighting) were translated and adapted by Katharina Gustavs.

During 1987 and 1992, Wolfgang Maes , a journalist and building biology environmental consultant, developed—in cooperation with the IBN, scientists, and medical doctors— the Standard of Building Biology Testing Methods based on science. The exposure recommendations of the accompanying Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines are specifically designed for sleeping areas. This standard not only covers a wide range of indoor air pollutants including solvents, biocides, heavy metals, mold, dust and allergens but also electromagnetic fields, radiofrequency radiation, radon, noise, and many other environmental factors. After more than 5,000 surveys, Wolfgang Maes published his findings in his bestseller “Stress durch Strom und Strahlung (Stress Caused by Electromagnetic Pollution)” in 1992.

In order to ensure quality control of testing protocols, the first association of building biology professionals Berufsverband Deutscher Baubiologen (VDB) was founded in Germany in 1998, publishing the first edition of its VDB Guidelines on physical, chemical, and microbiological testing in 1999.

To this same end, another building biology association was founded Verband Baubiologie (VB) in 2002, promoting access to building biology information and working closely together with the Institute of Building Biology + Ecology Neubeuern.

Today the unique holistic approach of building biology is applied worldwide by many environmental consultants, architects, environmental physicians, and building material manufacturers dedicated to creating healthy and sustainable living environments.