The average of permanence in our houses it is of almost 12 hours a daymore than enough time to justify the fundamental role that the characteristics of a property have in the health of its users.
Even more so if we take into account that even the World Health Organization (WHO) establishes a direct relationship between optimizing the habitability of a home and improving the quality of life. quality of life of users.
The use of construction materials not only affects the environment after their application, but also during its entire useful life: the extraction of raw materials, transportation, handling, implementation, operation; and the end of life and waste.
For architect Sandra Amerise*, Unicer Sustainability advisor, “they are all closely related points that will ensure that the quality of the home is reflected in a greater interior comfort and less economic impact due to the reduction of energy consumption for cooling and/or heating, and environmental, due to greater durability and less pollution.” In addition, the risk of diseases in the users of the property is reduced.
Beyond basic issues such as the structural safety of a property, having an acceptable surface for the number of users or having electrical and sanitary installations, relative humidity, exterior ventilation, there are many other aspects related to the design, maintenance and the care of a property that determines whether it is considered healthy.
Thermal and humidity comfort
The stickers on the knob add productivity.To achieve an excellent welfare state At home, the first step is to reach an interior temperature of between 23 and 25 degrees, humidity between 40% and 60%, and no drafts.
In bioclimatic design, choose materials correctly It is the first step to starting a healthy home. “At Unicer we have carried out training, together with Conicet, which are available on the institution’s website and which are very valuable for making decisions,” says the sustainability advisor.
To regulate the first characteristic, the main solution is to have an efficient envelope with noble materials such as ceramic bricks gaps lines Thermoefficient DM which will prevent cold and heat losses, improve the comfort of the property and reduce its energy demand.
Line of efficient hollow bricks.Toxicity-free, sustainable and functional materials
The materialization of a home not only has a direct impact on the environment, but also on the people’s health who live in the property. This has led to sustainable, healthy, quality construction products and systems free of toxic particles, having taken a great role in construction and rehabilitation.
The reaction of materials to a fire, for example, is a point that must be kept in mind. “The hollow ceramic brick envelopes do not generate combustion in the event of an accident and have “high fire resistance”, describes Amerise. Because they do not contain volatile elements, they are safer in the event of fire: they do not emit toxic gases.
Hollow brick is part of sustainable construction systems that offer interior comfort.In addition, another value that must be considered is allergies and constant pollution of materials that degrade in a short time and that generate daily discomfort in the quality of the indoor air of the home.
Hollow ceramic materials are high resistance to the passage of time. “90% of housing in Argentina is built with traditional brick systems,” according to Unicer’s estimate.
Control noise
Hollow ceramic materials are highly resistant to the passage of time.The noise pollution constitutes a source of stress and diseases related to continuous exposure to noise, such as hearing loss, hypertension or insomnia. “Acoustic comfort is becoming increasingly important in any construction,” highlights the specialist.
And he adds: “It is of high value to consider the internal dividing walls with ceramic bricks holes that meet the necessary standards currently standardized”.
* Sandra Amerise She is a UNICER Sustainability advisor. She is an architect (UBA) and has a master’s degree in Urban Economics (Torcuato Di Tella University). Professor of Sustainable Architecture at the UBA. Member of the Advisory Council of the Environmental Urban Plan .GCABA. She was an advisor to the Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires in different projects, in which the current Green Terraces Law stands out.