How We Can Drive Change in the Building Industry
Updated: Sep 7
The building industry changes when the brief changes. If clients keep asking only for price, appearance and minimum compliance, those are the things the supply chain will optimise. If clients, designers and builders start asking for emissions data, healthier material options, sensory accessibility, reuse and better indoor environmental quality, the market has to respond.
This is not about adding a few “wellness” features at the end. Health, sustainability and inclusion need to be written into the decisions that happen before products are ordered and before construction begins.
Put health requirements into the specification
A vague instruction to use “eco-friendly materials” is difficult to enforce. A stronger brief asks for lower-emission products, relevant third-party testing, moisture-resistant detailing, exhaust to the exterior where needed, documented product substitutions and approval before specified materials are changed.
The more measurable the requirement, the less likely it is to disappear during value management.
Stop treating product marketing as evidence
Words such as natural, green and low VOC can be useful starting points, but they are not the same as emissions testing or a transparent technical data sheet. EPA specifically notes that a low-VOC label does not automatically mean a product contains no volatile chemicals of concern.
Designers and builders can ask manufacturers harder questions and reward companies that provide clear answers.
Design for invisible disabilities from the beginning
WHO estimates 1.3 billion people live with significant disability. Many disabilities and neurological conditions are not immediately visible, yet traditional spaces are often designed as though every occupant processes light, sound, smell and visual information in the same way.
Provide lighting control, reduce flicker and glare, improve acoustics, avoid unnecessary continuous scent, create lower-stimulation options and involve actual users in the design process. These are design decisions, not favours added after someone struggles.
Measure the building after handover
A healthy-building brief should not end when the photographs are taken. Review ventilation performance, moisture issues, occupant feedback, acoustic problems, glare and products substituted during construction.
Post-occupancy feedback is how a design team learns whether an idea worked in the real building rather than only on drawings.
Use purchasing power to change the market
Request emissions and ingredient information before specifying products.
Ask manufacturers to explain what their “low tox” or “green” claims actually measure.
Do not accept unreviewed substitutions for key materials.
Prioritise durable, repairable and reusable products where they suit the application.
Include neuro-inclusive lighting, acoustic and sensory requirements in the brief.
Give suppliers that provide transparent evidence a commercial advantage by specifying them.
Research and sources
Take the next step
For organisations that want to turn inclusion into practical environmental changes, the Neuro-Inclusive Workplace Course covers lighting, acoustics, air quality, layout, policy and sensory barriers.
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