editor’s letter
We may have switched on to trends such as mindfulness and hygge pretty swiftly, but the UK has been a little slower than most when it comes to the idea of our homes being a key factor in supporting our wellbeing. Just a few months ago, I had the chance to tour German home supplier Baufritz’s factory and show house site, where the focus is almost entirely on using high-quality, natural materials to create healthy homes that are a pleasure to live in. Every part of the process – from design through to manufacture and going on site – is considered in minute detail to ensure planned performance standards are met, while elements such as wastage and transport requirements are kept to a minimum. Of course, there are plenty of firms on this side of the pond who think the same way – but on the continent, putting factors such as indoor air quality first seems to be the norm. Our resident architect, Julian Owen, looks at healthy homes in more detail on page 92.