Resources
A collection of ideas, readings and references that shape my vision of residential longevity interior design.
Sleep
Available Documents
How a bedroom that is too warm or too cold changes the stages of sleep.
Less CO₂ in the bedroom: better sleep and better concentration the next day.
Simply having a phone in the bedroom is linked to shorter sleep in young people.
A small sleep-lab study: writing a to-do list helped people fall asleep about nine minutes faster.
Light
Available Documents
The reference thresholds: at least 250 m-EDI by day, under 10 in the evening, under 1 at night.
About 100 lux is enough to produce half the maximum effect on melatonin.
A clear, accessible review of how light affects the body clock, sleep and mood.
Measurements in real homes: nearly half are too brightly lit in the evening for good sleep.
The founding study: the body clock responds mostly to blue wavelengths.
Air, materials and water
Available Documents
WHO reference values for formaldehyde and other indoor air pollutants.
Why damp and mould affect the airways, and how to prevent them.
The WHO's current thresholds for fine particles, nitrogen dioxide and ozone.
Where formaldehyde comes from in a home (boards, glues, textiles) and how long it is released.
Cooking and smoking are among the main indoor sources of fine particles.
Why humidity between 40 and 60% suits the airways best.
Follow the substances the European Union plans to restrict.
The quality of Swiss tap water, and why the pipes in your building matter too.
Bio-based and earth materials as a path to more sustainable building.
Noise
Available Documents
How many Europeans are exposed to noise, and its effects on health.
Recommended limits for road, rail and aircraft noise, by day and at night.
Health and Longevity
Available Documents
The major chronic diseases and the factors that influence them.
148 studies: our social ties weigh on lifespan as much as well-known risk factors.
Real Estate and Value
Available Documents
Market size, growth, and the price premium of homes designed for health.
The annual reference report on global real estate trends.
Debated Topics
Available Documents
Why radiofrequency fields are classified as "possibly carcinogenic" (Group 2B), and what that means.
Copper can hold back some bacteria such as Legionella, but not always; plastic can instead feed them. It all depends on the water and the age of the pipes.
Neurodesign: the brain and space
Available Documents
Under a high ceiling we think more freely and abstractly; under a low one, we focus more on detail.
On MRI: high rooms are judged more beautiful, and enclosed rooms make people more likely to want to leave.
A review of the studies: open views are clearly preferred; the "refuge" effect is less consistent.
Women who described their homes as cluttered showed a chronic-stress cortisol pattern.
The more objects in view, the more they compete for the brain's attention.
On MRI: rooms with curved lines are judged more beautiful and activate an emotion-related brain are.
Less CO₂ and fewer VOCs in the office: better decision-making scores.
Biophilic Design
Understanding how integrating nature into our living spaces influences our well-being, concentration and quality of life.
Available Documents
An essential reference introducing the principles that strengthen the connection between people and nature within the built environment.
An analysis exploring what biophilic design truly is and how it influences our experience of the spaces we inhabit.
How natural elements integrated into architecture can contribute to physical and emotional well-being.
Patients with a view of trees left hospital sooner and needed fewer painkillers.
The founding theory: nature lets our directed attention recharge.
