Construction ecology is defined in the context of industrial ecology & sustainable construction in “defining an ecology of construction” by Kibert, Sendzimir and Guy in 2002.

This definition sounds like Hundertwasser’s idea of industrial buildings as a symbiosis between Technology, Ecology and Art
Reparations. Hundertwasser combated the aggressive ugliness, the uniform desert and coldness of industrial buildings, because it harms the working people and robs man’s dignity.

His designs of industrial buildings are a contribution to the consciousness and perception of a healthier, better life with more dignity for man in a time where man suffers under the alienation from nature (hundertwasser.at).

Yesterday I had a lecture about construction ecology and “chemical management” in specific by Thomas Belazzi. In this area the main focus lays on creating a healthy and comfortable living environment for building occupants.

Nowadays we spend 90% of our time inside and indoor air quality is of main importance because we don’t have a choice on whether we consume air or not. More and more people are getting long term health impacts due to the breathing of polluted indoor air, diseases like asthma, hay fever or MCS….

Mr. Belazzi’s company BauXund aims to minimize the use of organic solvent containing building chemicals like glues, paints or varnishes. Since these chemicals will negatively effect both the end-user’s health as the health of the people working on the construction side. We as users of buildings would feel the difference in air quality but we cannot see it and do not know how to get it….

It’s time for chemical management on construction sites!