The Indoor Generation
We're the indoor generation. The way our story ends is up to you...
THE DISTURBING FACTS ABOUT THE INDOOR GENERATION:
We spend 90% of our time indoors without enough daylight or fresh air. We don’t think about it any more – but science has shown that this can be harmful to our health and wellbeing.
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https://www.velux.com/article/2018/indoor-generation-facts-and-figures:
We spend 90% of our time indoors
European Commission (2003) - Indoor air pollution: new EU research reveals higher risk than previously thought
Indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outside
US Environmental Protection Agency - Importance of Indoor Air Quality
77% are unaware that indoor air can more polluted
YouGov (2018) - The Indoor Generation Report
Children’s bedrooms can often be the most polluted rooms in the house
Danish Eco Council (2016) - Frisk luft og mindre kemi i børneværelser
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Up to 45% of all children's bedrooms have much too high levels of carbon dioxide due to insufficient ventilation
Danish Eco Council (2016) - Frisk luft og mindre kemi i børneværelser
Living in damp and mouldy homes increases our chance of asthma by 40 per cent
IBP Fraunhofer (2016) - European Indoor Environment has impact on Health and Performance
Only 18 per cent of people believe they spend 21 hours or more inside, when previous research suggests we spend 90 per cent of our day indoors
YouGov (2018) - The Indoor Generation Report / WHO Europe 2013 report / US Environmental Protection Agency
1 out of 6 Europeans lives in an unhealthy building
VELUX A/S (2017) - Healthy Homes Barometer
Today, 84 million Europeans currently live in buildings so damp and mouldy that they are a potential threat to physical and mental wellbeing
VELUX press release (16.11.16) - Respiratory illness cost European governments 82 Billios euros per year
The resulting poor indoor air can provoke a whole range of illnesses from headaches and sore eyes to allergies, asthma - and worse
VELUX A/S (2017) - Healthy Homes Barometer 2017
Lack of direct sunlight also causes health issues such as vitamin D deficiency, which can contribute to feelings of tiredness, fatigue and low mood
NHS UK (2015) - How to get vitamin D from sunlight
Experts estimate that up to 30% of the world's population suffer from different levels of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
The Independent (2014) - Seasonal Affective Disorder: 1 in 3 people suffer from SAD
65% of all Europeans dry clothes indoor at least once a week, which gives off damp
VELUX press release (24.03.15) - Fresh air at home more important than exercise
Approximately ten litres of liquid is produced by the average family every day
British Standard (2002) - Code of Practice for Control of Condensation in Buildings, 2002
Scientific research has proved the links between lack of daylight and a variety of physical and mental problems
VELUX A/S (2014) - DEIC Basic book
Vitamin D deficiency, has been linked to problems like tiredness, fatigue and increased vulnerability to disease
VELUX A/S (2018) - Circadian House: Principles and guidelines for Healthy Homes
Artificial light can disrupt our body clock, which can lead to concentration issues, high blood pressure - and more
VELUX A/S (2014) - Daylight & Architecture Magazine 22: Sleep, Work, Live
Most scientists agree that being exposed to two hours of daylight per day is a great boost to our mental wellbeing
VELUX A/S (2014) - Daylight & Architecture Magazine 22: Sleep, Work, Live
Young adults have a delayed biological clock and often find it hard to get up in the mornings
VELUX A/S (2014) - Daylight & Architecture Magazine 22: Sleep, Work, Live
Daylight can improve children's learning abilities by up to 15%
UPMC / INSERM (2016) - Impact of Lighting on School Performance in European Classrooms
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NEEDED: A FRESH APPROACH TO INDOOR LIFE
We have managed to isolate ourselves from the uncertainties and discomfort of the natural world, but in far too many ways it has proved to be a hollow victory.
We spend 90% of our time indoors and our homes are so well insulated that not enough fresh air and daylight can get in. Today, 84 million Europeans currently live in buildings so damp and mouldy that they are a potential threat to physical and mental wellbeing. The resulting poor indoor air can provoke a whole range of illnesses from headaches and sore eyes to allergies, asthma – and worse. People are 40% more likely to have asthma when living in a damp and mouldy home.
Lack of direct sunlight also causes health issues such as vitamin D deficiency, which can contribute to feelings of tiredness, fatigue and low mood. Experts also estimate that up to 30% of the world’s population suffer from different levels of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder, or winter depression). The exact cause of SAD isn't fully understood but it's often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight.
Without action, these problems are only going to get worse. That’s why it’s so important for all of us to re-think the way we live indoors. From individuals to architects, from companies to governments, we all have a responsibility to do everything we can to make sure our buildings have a healthy environment. We have to start building differently, and we have to start living differently.
Some solutions are simple, some more demanding, and some require fundamental changes in society. But it can be done – we have to act now, together.
THE JOURNEY TO A HEALTHIER INDOOR ENVIRONMENT
For more than 75 years, VELUX has been dedicated to improving people’s quality of life by helping to ensure homes, workplaces and schools can get enough light and fresh air. The health benefits are now confirmed by science, but there is still a long way to go before we understand that daylight and fresh air are not just “nice to have” – they’re also “need to have.”
Fortunately, we are not alone on this journey. We are working together with other global market leaders in the building and construction industry to make better homes. Our solutions can’t solve all the indoor generation’s problems, but we can help to show the best way forward.
FIND OUT MORE
INDOOR AIR CAN BE FIVE TIMES MORE POLLUTED THAN OUTSIDE AIR
No matter where you live, opening a window and letting in fresh air is almost always preferable to breathing in stale indoor air.
FIND OUT WHY
LACK OF DAYLIGHT MAKES 15% OF US SAD
The power of daylight cannot be reproduced artificially. We need sunlight in order to feel energetic and healthy.
FIND OUT
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