Building Biology Magazine

Many people struggle at first with the meaning of statements like “the average CO₂ consumption is about 9 tons per capita per year” or “the price of CO₂ is 55 euros per ton” or “one ton of CO₂ is needed to produce about 3 cubic meters of reinforced concrete”. We provide clarification.

What is the right insulation strategy? How thick should or may the insulation be, and when is exterior insulation the right choice and when is interior? There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty about appropriate, error-free, code-compliant insulation strategies. However, common sense is the best way to understand applied building physics.

In this 3-day hands-on workshop "Building Biology Interior Decoration IBN," 20 participants learned how to creatively use the trendy materials clay, lime, and self-made natural paints.

The adverse effects of low frequency noise in residential areas, such as that emitted by air source heat pumps, have increased significantly in recent years. However, little is known about the exact causes of this increase in subjective symptoms. A research project of the German Environment Agency (UBA) will now shed light on this.

In August 2024, nine years after the last edition, a new Standard of Building Biology Testing Methods (SBM) was completed, largely without its original initiator and developer Wolfgang Maes. The Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas underwent a thorough revision, and new tools for assessing additional indoor risk factors were introduced for some Standard points. Furthermore, we revised the Testing Conditions, Instructions and Additions and Guiding Principles that supplement the Building Biology Standard and Guideline Values.

Most people find the smell of fresh wood pleasant. It is even assumed that wood has positive health effects according to research and experience. But does this always apply? Even after an indoor installation of solid wood and composite wood materials such as particleboards or OSB boards?

After more than thirty years in Neubeuern, we moved to our new IBN building in Rosenheim in September 2014. This flagship project allows us to demonstrate what building biology is all about and what healthy and sustainable building practices are possible and meaningful. After ten years, it’s time for a progress report: What worked? What didn't work? What would we do differently today?

Most people talk about healthy and sustainable living. But what about workplaces, home offices and other high-use areas? Is everything okay in these areas from a building biology perspective?

Why electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is a biologically expected reaction to harmful radiation.

Katharina Gustavs is a Building Biology Testing Specialist IBN, nutritionist, and translator on Vancouver Island / Canada. From there, she has for many years been promoting building biology in the English-speaking world. She also supervises and translates the English version of the Building Biology Correspondence Course IBN. In this interview she talks about her background and what inspires her about building biology.