Reclaimed wood is one of the most widely used green building materials for many reasons. It has a timeless look, its diverse sourcing streams provide variable aesthetics, and it adds an enduring natural look to any space. While wood is possibly the most versatile green building material, it isn’t the only one. There are other … Read more
It’s not often that we consider the health of a building or the built environment. And yet, most humans spend the majority of their time indoors. Whether that be at home or at the office, everyone is inside for most of the day. The International WELL Building Institute or IWBI decided to measure the health … Read more
It’s easy to think that green building materials are only used in small quantities or for unique non-structural purposes. But that’s not the case. Green building materials are being used in ultra-modern office buildings with great sustainable and aesthetic effect. Green building materials are good for the environment and beautiful. I catalogued some ultra-modern buildings that … Read more
Do you relish the extraordinary feeling of sunlight hitting your skin when you walk outside after being indoors for an extended period of time? Nature, sunlight, clean air, and temperature all have an effect on human emotions and worker productivity. Study after study has found this to be true, but honestly, all you need is … Read more
At TerraMai, we think most people want to be eco-minded and believe that using green building materials on a project is the responsible thing to do. But, a sense of environmental goodwill isn’t the only benefit of using these sorts of materials. They can lend a unique aesthetic appeal to any space, and when combined, … Read more
The biophilia hypothesis. If you’ve worked within the LEED or green design world for any period of time, it’s likely that you’ve run into this term. As intimidating as it might sound, the biophilia hypothesis is actually fairly simple to understand. And, more likely than not, you’ve experienced what the biophilia hypothesis describes. So, what … Read more
If you’ve been following the news in green architecture and design, you may have heard of the WELL Building Standard. It first drew attention back in 2013, when The New York Times ran a story on this new certification. In the years since, the WELL Building Standard has come into its own as a new … Read more
The WELL Building Standard is relatively new, but it’s already made a huge impact. Namely, it has raised the bar for eco-friendly building certifications that benefit both human occupants and the larger environment. It prioritizes biophilic design that optimizes human wellness, and as such it’s helping architects and designers shift their mindsets to create more … Read more
Biophilic concepts are steadily making their way into popular design. The concepts can take a variety of forms as local culture, ecology, project intent, and architect and designer perspective all direct how biophilic elements are applied to a space. The research is clear – biophilic design has many positive outcomes, most importantly it makes us … Read more
Theoretically, biophilic design is a fascinating concept that illuminates the human desire for a connection to nature. It has been the subject of several studies, one of the most well-known being Terrapin Bright Green’s “14 Patterns of Biophilic Design.” This analysis laid out vital concepts behind biophilic design, and I want to illustrate what some … Read more
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