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Rosetta Stone: A Translational Tool for Research Informed Practice

The Rosetta Stone Translational Tool for Research-informed Practice is a joint collaboration between the University of Washington’s Integrated Design Lab (UW IDL) and design industry partners. The tool developed out of a collective desire to clearly communicate the synergies of high performance design, in a way that is backed by research and evidence. Learn more about the UW IDL and the Partnership in this short video.

Its aim is to create a high-level translational literature review tool to help disseminate knowledge and information for a range of targeted audiences at varying level of depths of information and to equip firms with consistent, fit-for-purpose messaging and guidance to discuss different Value Cases of High Performance Design.

AIA Design and Health Research Consortium

The Integrated Design Lab is part of a University of Washington interdisciplinary team recently selected to join the AIA Design and Health Research Consortium, an initiative seeking to further research and recognition of the strong influence of design on public health. Over a three-year period, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Architects Foundation will provide institutional support for the new members of the AIA Design & Health Research Consortium, promoting local and national partnerships and knowledge-sharing.

The UW team is led by Andrew Dannenberg, affiliate professor in environmental and occupational health sciences and in Urban Design and Planning, and by Heather Burpee, research assistant professor in the department of architecture. The UW team focuses on health in the built environment, including using Seattle’s Bullitt Center, the greenest commercial building in the world, as a test laboratory and serving on the steering committee of the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, a sustainability initiative in a densely populated Seattle neighborhood.

Health Impacts of Green Buildings

The built environment impacts health in multiple dimensions, from large infrastructure to the microscopic molecules and organisms that are not seen or perceived in daily life. In light of the complex interaction between various health-related impacts of the built environment, this publication has taken a multi-disciplinary approach using the Bullitt Center as a pilot project to develop and implement methodologies for collecting data. These data include testing how the building impacts 1) physical activity and 2) indoor environmental quality, including the microbiome.  This paper outlines the relevant background information, active design and indoor environmental quality studies, and shares preliminary findings.

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