Building Biology

 What is building biology?

Building biology studies the holistic relationship between humans and their indoor environment. It is based on 25 principals looking at 19 different categories in the areas of electrosmog (Electromagnetic fields or EMFs), light, sound, radiation, indoor toxins,  indoor pollutants, indoor climate, mold, bacteria, and allergens. The Building Biology standard and guidelines, now in their 8th revision, is the result of over 30 years of research, over 10,0000 actual surveys of sleeping areas in collaboration with over 100 medical physicians along with many scientists, researchers, engineers, and practicing building biologists.  The foundations of the building biology standard and guides has always been:

• Any risk reduction is work aiming for.
• Numbers in the guide are only meant to be a guide, no more, no less.
• Whenever possible use nature as the ultimate standard.

The Building Biology Standard and Guidelines are now being used as a basis and guideline by colleagues and institutes throughout Germany, Europe, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Japan to name a few. As of 2016, there has been over 7000 students completing courses in building biology world wide.

A Brief History Of Building Biology

1969: Arbeitsgruppe Gesundes Bauen + Wohnen (Build + Healthy Habitat Work Group) Founded by Professor Dr. Anton Schneider

1976: Institut für Baubiologie ( Institute for Building Biology)  founded by  Professor Dr. Anton Schneider. Superseded Arbeitsgruppe Gesundes Bauen + Wohnen .

1983: Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit – IBN (Institute For Building Biology and Sustainability) founded by Professor Dr. Anton Schneider. Superseded Institut für Baubiologie.

1987: In the US a student of professor Scheider, architect Helmet Zeihe, founded the International Institute of Bau-Biology & Ecology in 1987 offering IBN correspondence course in English.

1992: The first Building Biology Testing and Methods standard was published. Based on over 3,000 surveys of sleeping areas in 1992 by Wolfgang Maes in collaborations with the IBN.

2004:  Institut Francais de Baubiologie et d’Ecology  (IBEF) founded –   French Institue of Building Biology and Ecology.

2005: Australian Institute of Building Biology (AIBB) founded. 

2009: Insituto Español de Baubiologie (IEB) founded – Spanish Institute of Building Biology.

2012: Austrian Medical Association (ÖAK), Austrian Chamber of Labor (AK) and the Austrian Workers’ Compensation Board (AUVA) published a medical guideline on electromagnetic fields and recommended that the Building Biology Guidelines based on “measurements relevant in practice” are a good
benchmark “for the assessment of regular exposures of more than four hours per day.”

2015: Yapı Biyolojisi & Ekolojisi Enstitüsü (YEB) founded –  Building Biology & Ecology Institute Turkey

2015: Updated 8th revision of the Standard of Building Biology Testing Methods,  Evaluation Guidelines and Testing Conditions  SMB-2015 released. Based on over 30 years of research,  over 10,000 surveys of sleeping areas in collaboration with over 100 medical physicians among other scientists, engineers,  laboratories, and practicing building biologists.

2016: Building Biology Association – England founded.

2016: European Academy for Environmental Medicine EUROPAEM points to Building Biology Guidelines for Sleeping Areas, mostly adopting them, also for exposure times of “more than four hours per day”.

2019: US basedInternation Institute for Bau-Biology & Ecology was renamed to the Building Biology Institute. Based in Sante Fe New Mexico, US.

Building Biology References and Similar Guidelines

• EMF Conference 2019 (Santa Cruz, California, USA). Conference dedicated to getting medical professionals up to speed on EMFs and encouraging Medical Doctors and Building Biologist to work together to improve the health outcomes of patients.
• Medical Associations:
  • Austrian Medical Association (ÖAK) in 2012 published medical guideline in association with Austrian Chamber of Labor (AK) and the Austrian Workers’ Compensation Board (AUVA)  electromagnetic fields and recommended that the Building Biology Guidelines based on “measurements relevant in practice” are a good benchmark “for the assessment of regular exposures of more than four hours per day.”
  • The German Medical Association demanded lowering the regulatory exposure limits for electromagnetic fields by a ten-thousandth, thereby reaching the order of magnitude previously established by the Building Biology Guidelines.
  • European Academy for Environmental Medicine (EUROPAEM) points to our Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (referring to fields, waves and electrosmog), mostly adopting them, also for exposure times of “more than four hours per day”.
• Insurance Companies
  • In Germany insurance companies such as  AOK, and Continentale inform their members about electrosmog, indoor toxins and mold in homes.
• BioInitiative Working Group (Bioinitiative Report) is a group of independent international scientists whos recommendations for electromagnetic field exposure are in a similar range to those proposed by Building Biology many years before.
• Kompetenzinitiative (Competence Initiative), an international, interdisciplinary and independent association of scientists, physicians, lawyers, technicians and experts who are committed to raising awareness about the critical consequences of electromagnetic field effects on humans, animals and nature includes several representatives from the Building Biology community.
• Bund für Umwelt- und Naturschutz Deutschland BUND (Friends of the Earth Germany) makes Building Biology Guidelines the basis of their recommendations “for the chronic exposure in sleeping and resting areas”.
• For protection against long-term effects due to electromagnetic fields, the European Environment Agency (EEA) , publications of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe recommendations fall within a similar range as the Building Biology Guidelines.
• In 2001 the word Health Organization (WHO) classifies ELF Magnetic Fields as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” in the rand of “severe abnormality” according to Building Biology Standards. 
• In 2011, the WHO classifies radiofrequency fields emitted by cellphones and wireless communication devices as “possible human carcinogenic to humans” which is an area which  Building Biology Standards have been looking very critically for years. 
• The Salzburg state government in Austria refers to the Building Biology Standard including its Guidelines, recommending Building Biology Testing Specialists.
• The global TCO standard for low-EMF computer workstations are ten times higher than Building Biology Guidelines but over 10 to 100 times lower than Canda and US safety guidelines.