Building For Health - Bau Biologie

BUILDING FOR HEALTH BAU-BIOLOGIE

Two concepts underpin my Healing Home designs. The first is Bau-Biologie or literally translated “Building Biology.” It is a specialized branch of Building Science that focuses on human health. It arose as a formal discipline in the 1960’s when the declining health of people living in European post World War II homes was first observed. These were people who for the first time were living in structures built from synthetic, petrochemically-based materials. Building Biology was brought to the United States by Helmut Ziehe, a German- and British-taught architect, who personally translated the original German coursework and, in 1987, founded the International Institute for Building Biology & Ecology to administer and build the practice here in the States.

TWO CRITICAL FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES

There are two fundamental principles that underscore its study: Balance and Nature . That is, our homes are healthiest and most in balance when built without toxins, without synthetics, and best when built with materials that are sourced from the natural world. Building Biology does more than just dictate a reduction of toxins however. It also explores the most ecologically-sound and life-affirming solutions that maximize both occupant health and building longevity. It can be summed with these words:

“The primary job of every home is to create an environment that allows this biological mystery called human life to flourish.”

It was an idea that was decades ahead of its time and is especially apt for today’s emphasis on conservation, sustainability, and green living. It is the cornerstone of my building philosophy.

THE RAIN BARREL EFFECT

Another key concept that underpins the Building Biology philosophy was first postulated by the late Dr. William Rae, Founder and former Director of the prestigious Environmental Health Center in Dallas—but might as well be attributed to Building Biology since it so closely aligns with the Institute’s DNA. That concept is known as “the Rain Barrel analogy”.

Dr. Rea thought, and Building Biologists believe, that our bodies are like a rain barrel. Everyone’s rain barrel is unique to that person. And every day we dump in pollutants in the form of pesticide-laden foods we eat, the contaminated air we breathe, and the EMFs we expose ourselves to. Over time our rain barrel fills up and eventually overflows unless we reduce the loading of our rain barrel. And if and when it gets close to full—and does begin to overflow—is when we get sick or have an allergic reaction or worse. For 16% of the population, a sensitizing incident like a severe trauma or acute chemical exposure leads to a crack in the rain barrel before it fills up, which again leads to disease or a severe health compromising event.

THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

There is one final Core Concept that is at the heart of Building Biology and critical to its understanding. It is called the Precautionary Principle, and goes like this:

When human activities may lead to severe, morally unacceptable or irreversible harm that is scientifically plausible but uncertain, actions shall be taken to avoid or diminish that harm . Building Biologists believe that there is a responsibility to intervene and protect both public and environment from exposure to harm, with the burden of proof on those who advocate for change . The Precautionary Principle dictates that they must demonstrate no harm is being done.

Put simply, the Precautionary Principle can be summed up by these two axioms:

1. Do No Harm and 2. Prevention Is Better Than Healing .

All too often though, we do the opposite. Our public policy when it comes to regulating our wireless and mobile communications is exactly contradictory to the Precautionary Principle—the onus of proof is on the general public to show conclusive evidence that our mobile technologies are dangerous rather than on cell phone carriers and manufacturers and their advocates to demonstrate they are safe. This has got to change, and will change if we become more aware of the chronic disease sweeping our country (see the video I produced under the ‘Why It Matters’ section that describes the pandemic of chronic disease sweeping our country) and make the wireless industry live up to the precautionary principle.

5G is the perfect place to draw a line in the sand, especially since it is based on all new technologies that have never been tested on humans before. Tell our

regulators and public officials to just say “No to 5G” until wireless carriers demonstrate that it is safe.

And while we wait, you can implement your own version of the precautionary principle by switching to wired technologies or switching to alternative routers that turn off overnight and other safer technologies like wired keyboards and wired mice within your home. Or implement the healthy home protocols I advocate for and use in my new home designs to reduce your own personal electro-pollution footprint.