With the shift towards energy efficient buildings, few building designers have considered the adverse impact this may have on the health of the occupants. New homes have become so ‘air tight’, the reduction in passive ventilation may increase condensation and mould-related issues (Law, 2017), in addition to exposing the occupants to higher levels of chemicals arising from the building materials, glues, sealants and paints. Whilst a home whose building envelope is constructed from metal (steel-frame, concrete slab and metal roof) may block external sources of radiation such as mobile phone tower emissions from penetrating the home, it may simultaneously reflect internal sources of radiation emitted from wireless devices. On 31 May 2011, radiofrequency radiation emitted from mobile phones and wireless devices were classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (IARC, 2011). This course is suitable for architects, building designers and licensed builders to provide the knowledge and the skills to assess a building material’s impact on indoor air quality and human health, and provide useful design principles to prevent condensation and mould-related problems. The building biology principles that underpin good building design are described with a focus on suitable designs for temperate, hot humid and arid climates. Upon successful completion, students will receive a nationally accredited Statement of Attainment. Completion of this course doesnot permit members of the public who have are no formal qualifications in the building, architectural or building biology industry to provide advice on building a healthy home. The units of competence for this course form part of the Advanced Diploma of Building Biology (10194NAT).
Video: Building a Healthy Home presentation by Nicole Bijlsma.
Prerequisites
Minimum age requirement is 18 years old. Apart from that, there are no prerequisites and we assume no previous knowledge in building, architecture or building design.
Subjects
| Subject | Cost | Online /On campus | Learner Guide | Prerequisite |
| Building Materials | $795 | Online only | Download | No |
| Building Design (Healthy Home) | $795 | Online only | Download | Yes (Building Materials) |
Assessments
The assessments are specifically developed to ensure you have the necessary knowledge to design healthy homes. There are two assessments: an essay on life cycle analysis, and a building project that requires you to analyse all of the building materials in your home for their impact on human health, indoor air quality and the electroclimate. To achieve this, you will learn about the Building Biology Rating Criteria. You will receive a Statement of Attainment following successful completion of these two unit of competencies.
Investment
Total cost is $1,590 ($795 per subject) which includes comprehensive manuals, videos of the lectures and access to a trainer.
Pathway
Successful completion of the Building Materials and Building Design subjects can be credited towards the nationally accredited course: Advanced Diploma of Building Biology (10194NAT).