What is Bau-biologie?™

Bau-biologie™ is the study of the impact of the "built" environment on human life. We study the building and its impact on the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental being of the people who are living or working inside.

By understanding the influences the building may have upon people, we may effectively create healthier, more harmonious and more productive environments.

Building Ecology™
Building ecology encourages us to build in consideration of nature. It is the interaction of the building, with the environment it is built in. To create an environment in harmony with nature, we must consider the location, materials used, the use of the structure, and, the relationship of the people to the space.

The 25 Principles of Bau-biologie™
As developed by Professor Anton Schneider, PH.D. founder of the German Institute fur Baubiologie und Okologie.*

1. Consider Geobiology in the process of selecting building sites.

2. Locate habitations at a distance from centers of industry and main traffic routes.

3. Have dwellings well separated from one another in spaciously planned developments amid green areas.

4. Plan homes and developments individually, taking into consideration the human aspects and needs of the family.

5. Use building materials of natural origin.

6. Use wall, floor and ceiling materials that allow air diffusion.

7. Allow for natural regulation of indoor humidity by the use of hygroscopic building materials.

8. Interior surface materials should allow for air filtration and neutralization of air pollutants (using materials capable of sorption).

9. Consider the balance between indoor heat storage and thermal insulation.

10. Consider the balance between surface temperatures and air temperatures.

11. Use thermal radiation in heating, employing solar energy as much as possible.

12. Propose low humidity and rapid desiccation in new buildings.

13. Ensure that buildings should be neutral in odor or smell pleasant. Toxic fumes should be avoided.

14. Use light, illumination and color in accordance with nature.

15. Provide adequate protection from noise and infra sound vibrations or sound conducted through solids.

16. Use building materials that emit little or no radioactivity.

17. Preserve natural electric field conditions and physiologically advantageous ionization.

18. Refrain from altering the natural magnetic fields.

19. Minimize technical electromagnetic fields.

20. Restrict alteration of important cosmic and terrestrial radiation.

21. Employ physiologically designed furniture and spaces. Apply ergonomics.

22. Design shapes and proportions in harmonic order.

23. Neither construction nor the production of building materials should contribute to environmental problems and high energy costs.

24. Building and production methods should not contribute to the over exploitation of limited raw materials.

25. Building activities and production of materials should not promote social damage and harmful side effects.

*Reprinted with the permission of the International Institute for Bau-biologie™ & Ecology, Inc. 2007.