Experts Share: The Features That Combine to Make a Happy Home
The Liveable City conference explored how housing impacts physical and mental wellbeing – and what we can do about it
Julia Bolotina
10 August 2022
International Associate Editor at Houzz
The challenges of the past few years – particularly the pandemic and the current energy crisis, which have fundamentally changed the way we live in and view our homes – have made us aware of the complex relationship between residential architecture and wellbeing.
This was the focus of one session of The Liveable City conference (held in London, UK, from 28 to 29 June 2022), organised by the Royal Danish Embassy as part of the London Festival of Architecture. Speaker Deborah Nagan, head of placemaking and nature at the Future Homes Hub, perhaps best summarised the conference’s approach to the happy home: “I rather equate happy with healthy … this covers health, wellbeing, and being mentally secure and sound in the place you are (in)”.
This was the focus of one session of The Liveable City conference (held in London, UK, from 28 to 29 June 2022), organised by the Royal Danish Embassy as part of the London Festival of Architecture. Speaker Deborah Nagan, head of placemaking and nature at the Future Homes Hub, perhaps best summarised the conference’s approach to the happy home: “I rather equate happy with healthy … this covers health, wellbeing, and being mentally secure and sound in the place you are (in)”.
What makes a home happy – or unhappy?
A certain physical baseline is key to achieving happiness. Neil Freshwater, public affairs manager at window and skylight manufacturer Velux in the UK, honed in on four health dangers lurking in substandard housing stock: excess cold, excess noise, lack of daylight, and damp and mould.
According to Velux’s Healthy Homes Barometer, which the company produces every year in collaboration with research institute Rand Europe, one in three Europeans report at least one of these dangers – a figure that translates to 163 million households across the EU. The effects are sobering: according to the study, those who report all four hazards are four times more likely to also report poor health.
The flipside of the equation is that improving these basic physical needs also translates into improvements in mental health. The same study uses a wellbeing value assessment to estimate the knock-on benefits of improving these basic physical needs, accounting for factors such as the increased economic productivity of workers who get a good night’s sleep. It estimates this can translate to significant cumulative economic benefits within one generation.
A certain physical baseline is key to achieving happiness. Neil Freshwater, public affairs manager at window and skylight manufacturer Velux in the UK, honed in on four health dangers lurking in substandard housing stock: excess cold, excess noise, lack of daylight, and damp and mould.
According to Velux’s Healthy Homes Barometer, which the company produces every year in collaboration with research institute Rand Europe, one in three Europeans report at least one of these dangers – a figure that translates to 163 million households across the EU. The effects are sobering: according to the study, those who report all four hazards are four times more likely to also report poor health.
The flipside of the equation is that improving these basic physical needs also translates into improvements in mental health. The same study uses a wellbeing value assessment to estimate the knock-on benefits of improving these basic physical needs, accounting for factors such as the increased economic productivity of workers who get a good night’s sleep. It estimates this can translate to significant cumulative economic benefits within one generation.
A famous example of the potentially negative impact of architecture on mental health: Farnsworth house, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for his client, Edith Farnsworth. The house consists of a single room surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. It was widely condemned as unsuitable for happy habitation: a 1953 House Beautiful article described the now-iconic home as “a glass cage on stilts”.
From theory to practice: The impact of physical housing conditions on mental wellbeing also underpins public health policy from the Department of Health and Social Care in the UK. Program manager Michael Chang spoke about the fact that adequate housing is key to achieving a variety of mental health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations.
It’s a fact that was embodied in the NHS Healthy New Towns program in the UK, launched in 2015, which saw the National Health Service work with towns towards the aim of creating environments and new housing developments that encourage exercise and adapt to the needs of vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.
From theory to practice: The impact of physical housing conditions on mental wellbeing also underpins public health policy from the Department of Health and Social Care in the UK. Program manager Michael Chang spoke about the fact that adequate housing is key to achieving a variety of mental health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations.
It’s a fact that was embodied in the NHS Healthy New Towns program in the UK, launched in 2015, which saw the National Health Service work with towns towards the aim of creating environments and new housing developments that encourage exercise and adapt to the needs of vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.
The black square, Superkilen public park, 2012, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Photo by Iwan Baan; from Superflex.
Homes is where we create memories: But the physical structure is not everything. Dr Gesche Huebner, senior research associate at The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources at University College London, warned, “We need to be careful to consider homes not just as physical structures, but as home, as places that have emotional significance to us. … Home is not just a physical structure; it’s where we create memories, where we have feelings of security and shelter”.
A lot of that comes down to making homes that are adapted to their inhabitants, their communities and their surroundings. Nagan talked about how the design of a space can help or hinder its inhabitants’ or users’ sense of belonging and ownership.
She gave the example of Superkilen (pictured above), a public park in a multicultural neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) architects, artists from the collective, Superflex, and landscape designers from Topotek 1. The project asked members of the community to nominate features from their home countries to be incorporated into the design. In this way, not only was the development deeply integrated into the community from the start, it also helped these public spaces to embody the local community’s memories of home.
While Nagan spoke primarily about public spaces, this approach is adaptable to design at all scales.
Thinking of renovating? Find an architect near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Homes is where we create memories: But the physical structure is not everything. Dr Gesche Huebner, senior research associate at The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources at University College London, warned, “We need to be careful to consider homes not just as physical structures, but as home, as places that have emotional significance to us. … Home is not just a physical structure; it’s where we create memories, where we have feelings of security and shelter”.
A lot of that comes down to making homes that are adapted to their inhabitants, their communities and their surroundings. Nagan talked about how the design of a space can help or hinder its inhabitants’ or users’ sense of belonging and ownership.
She gave the example of Superkilen (pictured above), a public park in a multicultural neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) architects, artists from the collective, Superflex, and landscape designers from Topotek 1. The project asked members of the community to nominate features from their home countries to be incorporated into the design. In this way, not only was the development deeply integrated into the community from the start, it also helped these public spaces to embody the local community’s memories of home.
While Nagan spoke primarily about public spaces, this approach is adaptable to design at all scales.
Thinking of renovating? Find an architect near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
This home near Hanover, Germany, by Andreas Wenning of Baumraum (architecture) and Gabriele Ebert of Raumkonzepte Ebert (interior design), privileges connection with nature and robust insulation.
Making room for nature: Another factor stressed by all of the speakers is likewise significant for a broad variety of projects: access to green space. Jeremy Smalley, deputy director of regeneration and property for the Royal Borough of Greenwich in the UK, talked about the borough’s emphasis on green space, sustainability and accessibility in the homes constructed for its social housing program.
A Greenwich public housing beneficiary, Joe, testified to the impact of green space in a video created by the borough. Praising the fully wheelchair-compatible public housing nestled in one of London’s greenest neighbourhoods, he said, “Now, when [his wife, Vivian] gets down, when she can’t walk or she’s in agony, I can put her in the wheelchair and go to Greenwich Park; it’s so near and so beautiful”.
Making room for nature: Another factor stressed by all of the speakers is likewise significant for a broad variety of projects: access to green space. Jeremy Smalley, deputy director of regeneration and property for the Royal Borough of Greenwich in the UK, talked about the borough’s emphasis on green space, sustainability and accessibility in the homes constructed for its social housing program.
A Greenwich public housing beneficiary, Joe, testified to the impact of green space in a video created by the borough. Praising the fully wheelchair-compatible public housing nestled in one of London’s greenest neighbourhoods, he said, “Now, when [his wife, Vivian] gets down, when she can’t walk or she’s in agony, I can put her in the wheelchair and go to Greenwich Park; it’s so near and so beautiful”.
Inbetween Architecture in Melbourne, Victoria, retrofitted this 100-year-old home in Victoria, which was shortlisted for the Sustainability category of the Houses Awards 2022.
Retrofitting for happiness
Most of the speakers took it as a given that sustainable building must be the default mode for any future health-orientated projects. “Carbon neutral is expensive …but it’s just a no-brainer. Why would you build anything else at the moment?” says Smalley.
Indeed, building for happiness and building for sustainability are in many ways aligned. After all, green space is good for the planet, and insulating for energy efficiency also makes homes warm, dry (and therefore free from mould), and quiet – eliminating three of the four basic hazards Freshwater highlighted in his talk.
This means focusing on zero-carbon new builds, but even more importantly, retrofitting existing homes – ensuring subpar housing is made suitable for its inhabitants, and making the bulk of existing housing stock more sustainable.
Finally, as Nagan pointed out, the most sustainable homes are the ones we stay in and return to, generation after generation. And that means ensuring homes are suitable for the needs of their inhabitants – making sure that homes are happy places.
Browse more beautifully designed Australian living areas
Retrofitting for happiness
Most of the speakers took it as a given that sustainable building must be the default mode for any future health-orientated projects. “Carbon neutral is expensive …but it’s just a no-brainer. Why would you build anything else at the moment?” says Smalley.
Indeed, building for happiness and building for sustainability are in many ways aligned. After all, green space is good for the planet, and insulating for energy efficiency also makes homes warm, dry (and therefore free from mould), and quiet – eliminating three of the four basic hazards Freshwater highlighted in his talk.
This means focusing on zero-carbon new builds, but even more importantly, retrofitting existing homes – ensuring subpar housing is made suitable for its inhabitants, and making the bulk of existing housing stock more sustainable.
Finally, as Nagan pointed out, the most sustainable homes are the ones we stay in and return to, generation after generation. And that means ensuring homes are suitable for the needs of their inhabitants – making sure that homes are happy places.
Browse more beautifully designed Australian living areas
This home by Burnazzi Feltrin Architetti in Borgo Valsugana, Italy, is energy efficient, uses sustainable materials, and offers plenty of space for the whole family to spend time together.
The tricky economics of happy, sustainable homes
Happy homes are sustainable homes – it sounds like a match made in heaven. So why don’t we just build more sustainably? That’s where things get tricky, particularly in the economically and politically precarious post-pandemic world.
As Smalley pointed out, sustainable (and happy) homes are also expensive to make, and this is particularly pressing during the current cost of living crisis. “It’s a challenge when people are having issues paying their bills to convince them that funding needs to be diverted into long-term initiatives,” he said.
While he was speaking at the scale of larger developments, the same is true of private homes. With materials costs skyrocketing as a result of crumbling global supply chains, it’s easy for sustainability aims to take a back seat in a residential construction project.
The same goes for our ability to incorporate green space into housing projects. The speakers and audience members discussed the inherent tension between providing or creating enough adequate housing, especially given the current affordable housing squeeze in many countries, and the green space we need for both mental health and biodiversity.
One answer to the former would be increasing building density, but that leaves little room for greenery. And of course, as noted above, both sides of that equation impact mental and physical health. So which do we prioritise?
The tricky economics of happy, sustainable homes
Happy homes are sustainable homes – it sounds like a match made in heaven. So why don’t we just build more sustainably? That’s where things get tricky, particularly in the economically and politically precarious post-pandemic world.
As Smalley pointed out, sustainable (and happy) homes are also expensive to make, and this is particularly pressing during the current cost of living crisis. “It’s a challenge when people are having issues paying their bills to convince them that funding needs to be diverted into long-term initiatives,” he said.
While he was speaking at the scale of larger developments, the same is true of private homes. With materials costs skyrocketing as a result of crumbling global supply chains, it’s easy for sustainability aims to take a back seat in a residential construction project.
The same goes for our ability to incorporate green space into housing projects. The speakers and audience members discussed the inherent tension between providing or creating enough adequate housing, especially given the current affordable housing squeeze in many countries, and the green space we need for both mental health and biodiversity.
One answer to the former would be increasing building density, but that leaves little room for greenery. And of course, as noted above, both sides of that equation impact mental and physical health. So which do we prioritise?
One of Greenwich’s smaller social housing projects in the UK. Photo from the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
There is no easy answer to that question. In the case of the Greenwich social housing developments Smalley represented, this involved a case-by-case reckoning: in some places, conservation regulations ruled out high-occupancy housing; in others, the borough was able to build more densely while leaving room for green surroundings.
On the other hand, as much as expenditure is a mounting concern when it comes to investing in large-scale projects, Smalley points out that tenants moving into Greenwich’s zero-carbon properties report a significantly lower monthly energy bill of £30 (AU$52) – far below the national average. That’s a huge win at a time when, according to Velux’s report, 50 million Europeans are living in energy poverty.
How do we value wellbeing?
The fundamental issue, when it comes to the economics of healthy, happy, sustainable homes, is this: “It comes to the heart of so much of it that housing is seen as a commercial commodity,” says Smalley. As many of the speakers pointed out, profit is naturally part of the calculation in any construction project, and both health and sustainability outcomes are notoriously difficult to quantify. How do we put a figure on the comfort of a dry home? Or the value of green space to someone in pain?
There are some nascent attempts at demonstrating the intangible benefits of healthy homes in economic terms. The Velux study cited above, which quantifies the potential economic benefits of healthy homes, is one, but it leverages a relatively new methodology, according to the study’s authors.
In one-off residential projects, there’s a much simpler, if not necessarily easier, calculation: What is the value of a happy home to you?
Your turn
Can you put a value on a happy, healthy home? Tell us why or why not in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Sustainability, and the happy, healthy homes that follow, can begin with small steps, which you can easily take – read up on No-Brainer Ways You Could be Saving Water
There is no easy answer to that question. In the case of the Greenwich social housing developments Smalley represented, this involved a case-by-case reckoning: in some places, conservation regulations ruled out high-occupancy housing; in others, the borough was able to build more densely while leaving room for green surroundings.
On the other hand, as much as expenditure is a mounting concern when it comes to investing in large-scale projects, Smalley points out that tenants moving into Greenwich’s zero-carbon properties report a significantly lower monthly energy bill of £30 (AU$52) – far below the national average. That’s a huge win at a time when, according to Velux’s report, 50 million Europeans are living in energy poverty.
How do we value wellbeing?
The fundamental issue, when it comes to the economics of healthy, happy, sustainable homes, is this: “It comes to the heart of so much of it that housing is seen as a commercial commodity,” says Smalley. As many of the speakers pointed out, profit is naturally part of the calculation in any construction project, and both health and sustainability outcomes are notoriously difficult to quantify. How do we put a figure on the comfort of a dry home? Or the value of green space to someone in pain?
There are some nascent attempts at demonstrating the intangible benefits of healthy homes in economic terms. The Velux study cited above, which quantifies the potential economic benefits of healthy homes, is one, but it leverages a relatively new methodology, according to the study’s authors.
In one-off residential projects, there’s a much simpler, if not necessarily easier, calculation: What is the value of a happy home to you?
Your turn
Can you put a value on a happy, healthy home? Tell us why or why not in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
More
Sustainability, and the happy, healthy homes that follow, can begin with small steps, which you can easily take – read up on No-Brainer Ways You Could be Saving Water
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It's a dream of ours to find a property that we can enhance and up date in an environmentally aware way - the look of the property in Australia really appeals as it feels natural, light and comforting. Finding properties where this can be achieved is hard, knocking down and starting again is not environmentally the best solution, and our cities with rows of Victorian terraced houses will face tough challenges, even providing enough electric charging points to meet the goals about green transport is a huge task. Added to which the worrying number of properties with plastic grass..... We can all do what we can by collecting rain water, planting trees and shrubs, letting grass grow, buying second hand furniture, and buying products with classic designs and a long 'shelf' life. e.g. my dualit toaster is 30 years old.
Excellent research , happy home we all need
Interesting article. I live in a 100 year old + stone building with 2 foot thick walls - it is cold and dark, surrounded by trees my neighbour won't let me top or cut down. My energy bills have always been horrendous, nevermind the energy crisis. It's great architects/builders are building new sustainable houses but we urgently need help to improve the ones we have! I live with 3 of the 4 health dangers in this article.