Labs need a higher air change rate than offices or other building types, which means lots of ductwork to and from the lab.
The standards for daylight in residential buildings, for instance, have always been lower than in workspaces, and overheating is a growing phenomenon in new homes in the UK.With the changes in working patterns, it is possible that post-pandemic size, layouts, daylight and thermal requirements of residential buildings evolve to accommodate spaces better suited to work..
Improving indoor air quality and hygiene.The impact of the pandemic and the interest in wellbeing, combined with higher pollution levels in urban areas, have increased the importance of improving indoor and outdoor air quality..In order to improve outdoor pollution, local planning policies in some areas of the UK are requesting that buildings become air quality neutral and even air quality positive.
This can be achieved via the adoption of fully electric HVAC systems that do not pollute the local environment, the use of green infrastructure and vegetation, and facilitating the use of sustainable modes of transport..It is widely reported that indoor air pollution is 3.5 times higher than outdoors.
This is due to the lack of ventilation, cooking, the use of chemicals for cleaning and emissions from construction materials and furniture, which cause an increase in the density of pollutants.
The range of measures to improve indoor air quality and hygiene is quite wide.The Construction Playbook.
, which came out in December 2020, but is neither a standard nor a piece of legislation.Ultimately, the industry would benefit from some clarity in understanding where information sits and the relative authority and legitimacy it has regardless of whether one is a business, client or someone studying the sector..
Defining the Need Report: unlocking the future of industrialised construction.The Construction Innovation Hub’s.