Theoretically it is possible to build residential areas and dwellings that do not attribute to disease risks of users. Currently in the Netherlands these health requirements do not harmonise with the measures taken to fulfil environmental demands, such as energy saving, use of natural products and the large-scale introduction of wetlands and other wild nature in residential areas.

'Breathing is costly' (Ademhalen kost geld) is the title of one of the first undergraduate research projects on the subject at the TUE. Prof. mag.arch. Ing. Peter Schmid (TUE) suggested some years ago to include a GER (GezondheidsEffect Rapportage = Health Effect Report) into the MER (Milieu Effect Rapportage = Environmental Effect Report) that is legally required before a building project may start.

Research falls within the domain of public health engineering. From these new insights AllSan-IT should develop new products and services that create:

• A self-evident healthy behaviour,
• The end of rising health care cost, and
• Improvement of quality of life until a high age (gerontechnology).

1.GezondheidsClassificatie voor nieuwe en te renoveren Woningen (in Dutch)
Introduction to the report:
A step towards less disease risk of the living environment is the construction of heath classifications to fill in the GER. In a multidisciplinary team the base has been laid for a disease risk classification of the indoor environment through a translation from disease determinants into technical specifications (GCW = GezondheidsClassificatie voor Woningen = Health Classification of Dwellings).

2. Healthy and Sustainable Building
Introduction to the report:
A disease classification of the direct outdoor environment of residential areas was constructed (GCN = GezondheidsClassificatie van Natuurtypen = Health Classification of Nature Types). Both GCN and GCW have been developed in co-operation with the Centrum Bouwonderzoek TNO-TUE, Eindhoven and Eindhoven University of Technology.

3. References
A. Klein Nibbelink. 1993. Ademhalen kost geld. T9 project bouwkunde, TUE. Vakgroep BFA. Supervision: J.E.M.H. van Bronswijk & B.G. Wolfs
P. Schmid 1992. MER en GER. Pleidooi voor een integrale aanpak van het Sick-Building-Syndrome. Gezond Bouwen en Wonen, nr 23, p. 20