Investigating and influencing how buildings affect health: Interdisciplinary endeavours.

Evidence is mounting that conditions in buildings can influence health; current topics include indoor exposures to lighting, noise, and chemicals; the availability of windows; and, overall housing quality. These findings have had limited influence on building design, construction, and operation, in part because of limited interaction between the relevant disciplines. Barriers to interdisciplinary research and communication include disciplinary culture, language differences, and institutional policies. Researchers who overcome such barriers may influence building practice through participating in the development of codes, standards, and regulations and by developing design guidance.Les preuves s?accumulent \ue0 l?effet que les conditions d?habitation dans les b\ue2timents peuvent influer sur la sant\ue9 de leurs occupants. Parmi les sujets qui se rattachent \ue0 cette question, notons : les niveaux d?exposition int\ue9rieurs \ue0 l?\ue9clairage, aux bruits et aux produits chimiques; la disponibilit\ue9 des fen\ueatres; et la qualit\ue9 globale des logements. Or, ces constatations n?ont eu jusqu?ici qu?une faible incidence sur la conception, la construction et l?exploitation des b\ue2timents, en partie en raison de l?interaction limit\ue9e entre les disciplines vis\ue9es. La culture propre aux diff\ue9rentes disciplines, la barri\ue8re des langues ainsi que les politiques institutionnelles constituent autant d?obstacles \ue0 la recherche interdisciplinaire. Les chercheurs qui sont en mesure de vaincre ces obstacles peuvent influencer les pratiques en mati\ue8re de construction en prenant part au d\ue9veloppement de codes, de normes et de r\ue8glements, et en mettant au point des lignes directrices li\ue9es \ue0 la conception.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye