The Impact of the Built Environment on Wellbeing

Background

As Clients become demanding of their building and wider community spaces they will commission for overall reduced environmental impact and improved economic return.

Significant new data and knowledge has been generated from the evaluation of the impact of using new products and processes on design, build and subsequent post-occupant performance. This knowledge is now influencing and helping to de-risk the implementation of these new systems to impart deep-cut performance improvements in mainstream developments. A critical aspect of overall performance evaluation is the ultimate impact on the wellbeing of those who occupy buildings and community spaces.

Investigating the intrinsic link between physical environment and social outcomes is a growing research theme in building science. The growing evidence base so far is indicating that both positive and negative impacts can and are being created, so further research is needed to investigate this complex but significant topic.

BRE and UBM are launching a new research programme focused on the impact of the built environment on wellbeing to enhance the growing active community of researchers and end-users from across the supply-chain.

Research Paper Competition
To initiate this programme a research paper competition is being launched to bring together and showcase current research and understanding in this field. Entries should refer to research completed in the past three years, and ideally include a summary of the following elements:

• The background and context in which the research was carried out.
• The methodology adopted, the technical cork completed.
• The results obtained and ultimate conclusions drawn from the experimental project.

The paper can already have been published (please indicate the date and location of publication) or be previously unpublished, but should not exceed 3,000 words in total.
The closing date for entries is the 14 February 2014 and a panel of independent judges with relevant expertise will then select the best paper for a domestic and non-domestic building.

Entries should be emailed to: wellbeingpaper@bre.co.uk.

The two winners will be informed by 21 February 2014 and the authors will be invited to present their research as part of a session in the seminar programme at Ecobuild 2014. This session will also include a facilitated discussion on potential gaps in knowledge which may form the basis for future collaborative research.

All papers will be hosted on-line in a new community research area of the BRE Digital Knowledge portal.

For further information contact The Modern Built Environment Knowledge Transfer Network