1. Negative impact of "traditional" buildings on our health

The negative impact of "traditional" buildings on our health is significant. Our species has evolved as an integral part of the natural environment, and contact with nature and natural processes is essential for our psychophysical well-being. However, in developed countries, people spend 90% of their time indoors, where the air quality is poor, natural lighting is insufficient, and artificial lighting is inadequately selected. Additionally, plants and natural elements are often absent.

The accumulation of toxins and volatile organic compounds released from building materials, finishing, furniture, and carpets has a negative impact on indoor air quality. The increasing air-tightness of buildings, aimed at minimizing heat losses, paired with inefficient ventilation systems, can lead to problems with the building’s physics and the formation of mold, negatively affecting our well-being. This can result in "sick building syndrome," manifested by headaches, irritation of the nose and eyes, allergies, autoimmune diseases, fatigue, depression, and even liver problems and birth defects.

2. High cost of living

The high cost of living is another issue. While owning a house has traditionally been a guarantee of security and independence from external factors, the operational costs of buildings have increased drastically due to rising energy prices and the unstable geopolitical situation. Inadequately designed or poorly modernized building envelopes lead to very high energy demand. The installation of photovoltaic panels or a change of heat source often turns out to be an expensive investment disproportionate to the benefits achieved. Moreover, the ambitious EU standards included in the Fit for 55 package mean that we need to adapt construction technologies to the new limits as soon as possible, as "traditional" buildings will lose their value to a large extent.

3. Environmental degradation.

Environmental degradation is also a concern. Biodiversity is constantly declining, and natural resources are being overexploited. Traditional building materials are responsible for high energy consumption, around 40%, and a similar percentage of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, associated with the production process and waste disposal. Without taking steps towards more sustainable resource management, future generations will face serious problems related to environmental degradation, global warming, and increasingly difficult access to basic resources such as drinking water, which is already a real problem in some areas.