Do we decarbonize or do we live?

Critical analysis table on the building sector and its implication in the health of the inhabitants. In a scenario of increasing regulatory complexity, different factors converge such as energy efficiency, decarbonisation, the European Taxonomy… which affects design and building. However, the great impact that climate change is having, especially in regions such as Spain (extreme temperatures in summer, frequent cut-off lows, especially in the Mediterranean area, etc.) is altering the starting conditions on which many of these requirements were formulated, generating situations in which strict compliance with the standard does not always guarantee healthy buildings. resilient or accessible in the face of this new reality. In addition, the 2020 pandemic caused a social revolution where health and well-being have emerged as critical variables that require a broader reading of the regulatory framework. The discussion table proposes to analyse the extent to which current buildings, even if they comply with current regulations, respond adequately to factors such as indoor air quality, adaptive thermal comfort, exposure to pollutants, humidity, overheating or thermal stress. Can it be decarbonized without compromising the health of the inhabitants? Are we legislating in utopian scenarios or is climate change altering the rules of the building game? And what to say about the update of the current residential stock. Are we refurbishing in accordance with the real and particular needs of each building or are we having the opposite effect by adopting the measures imposed by Europe? In this context, it will be analysed how certain solutions aimed exclusively at reducing energy demand, for example, can compromise summer thermal comfort, especially in homes without adequate passive strategies, without effective natural ventilation or with oversized active systems that increase energy dependence. Concepts such as indoor air quality or exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde, fine particles, radon and other pollutants associated with both building materials and poor architectural design can affect people’s health. During the session, the need to move towards a building that incorporates health as a structural criterion of the project will be addressed, beyond minimum regulatory compliance, sustainability and even efficiency, understanding the building as a complex system where people interact dynamically and presenting solutions that, although they are not sufficiently included in the regulations, it does have a positive impact on the well-being of its users, both in residential spaces, as well as in medical centers and even school environments.