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The why...
"My mission is to ignite a movement within the construction industry, driving change to create spaces that nurture our health, embrace inclusivity, and respect the environment."
Hi There!
I'm Maria, the Healthy Building Designer. I’m a Building and Interior Designer who specialises in Healthy Buildings through the use of Biophilic Design, Building Biology and Neuro-design techniques. I am also a mum, a tradie’s wife, and someone living with a neurological disability.
As someone living with an invisible disability, I've learned firsthand how our environment can significantly impact our health. This isn't just true for those with disabilities but for everyone, considering we spend over 90% of our time indoors. Shockingly, the air inside our homes or workplaces can be up to 100 times more polluted than the air outside.
Indoor air pollution comes from various sources. Everyday items like cleaning products, paints, furniture, and building materials release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful chemicals into the air. Cooking, heating, and even personal care products contribute to this toxic mix. Sealing buildings to make them more energy efficient makes things worse by trapping these pollutants inside and allowing them to build up to dangerous levels.
This is why we need change now. We need to prioritise healthier building practices that focus on improving indoor air quality!
Change is up to us
It's time for us, as consumers, to make our voices heard!
We must build our knowledge about what truly healthy environments are and demand this change from designers, architects, builders, and manufacturers. For too long, the manufacturers of building materials and household products have prioritised profits over the health of individuals and families. We must refuse to buy products that compromise our health and the health of our loved ones and tradespeople, just as we have seen with materials like asbestos, lead paint, and engineered stone.
It's time ask our Governments and the Building Industry to implement regulations that ensure green products are not just sustainable but also health-friendly.
We also need comprehensive policies that prioritise the well-being of all individuals. This means educating future and designers, architects, builders, and policymakers on the importance of creating environments that are both inclusive and healthy.
"Together, we can create spaces that truly support and nurture us all. Let's take charge and demand healthier, more inclusive environments for ourselves and future generations..."
What must change
As a building and interior designer, we’re often taught to focus on aesthetics and functionality. In my studies, there was only about one page out of hundreds that discussed toxic off-gassing from building materials, and hardly any mention of inclusivity for all disabilities.
The system mainly addresses physical disabilities like wheelchair access, leaving out the diverse needs of people with other types of disabilities. As a result, designers, builders, architects and policy makers aren't being educated about creating healthy, inclusive, and truly sustainable designs.
The current building policies also concentrate on "Green Building Practices" but these are not always a healthy option for the occupants. While green building practices are important, they have ironically worsened indoor air pollution by creating tighter building envelopes with less natural ventilation, trapping harmful chemicals and particulate matter.
It’s crucial not to confuse "green" with "healthy," as green building products and practices are not always health-friendly. Awareness, education, and healthier building product choices are essential to avoid toxic buildings since current codes don’t protect occupants from indoor air pollutants. Improving indoor air quality should be a priority for everyone, not just those with chronic health issues.
Using the wrong building materials, furniture, and decor can harm not only the occupants' health but also the tradies’ health and the environment. The toxic gases, such as VOCs, coming from construction materials, furniture, and everyday household items like air fresheners, perfumed candles, and cleaning products can instantly give people with neurological disabilities debilitating symptoms such as dizziness, blurry vision, confusion, nausea, migraines, weakness, or even vertigo. These symptoms can last for days, if not weeks.
Media & Partnerships..
How can I help?
EVENTS
Invite Maria to your next event to enlighten and motivate your audience towards a more sustainable and health-conscious approach to design and living.
INTERVIEWS
Maria can share her expertise and stories on your podcast or media platform to inform and educate your audience about creating healthier, happier spaces for them and the environment.
EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR
Through blog posts, regular articles or advice columns,
Maria can empower and educate your audience to create a difference in people's lives and our planet...
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PARTNER WITH MARIA
Are you a business committed to promoting wellness, sustainability, or eco-friendly practices? If so, let's collaborate to make a significant impact together!
Maria: The Healthy Building Designer Leading a Revolution in Sustainable and Inclusive Design
Maria, known as "The Healthy Building Designer," is a building and interior designer, a mum, a tradie’s wife, and an advocate living with a neurological disability. Maria's story is one of resilience and determination, making her a compelling figure in the movement to transform our living and working spaces into healthy, sustainable, and inclusive environments.
As an immigrant with an invisible disability working in a male-dominated field, Maria deeply understands the importance of true inclusion. Despite progress in understanding cultural differences and female inclusivity, policies still lag behind in accommodating people with all kinds of disabilities. Maria’s personal journey highlights the significant gaps in our current policies and designs, which often fail to consider the diverse needs of individuals with various disabilities, including neurological disorders.
Maria stands at the forefront of a movement dedicated to redefining the nexus between architecture and well-being. With a strong foundation in building biology, biophilic design, neuroarchitecture, and a personal commitment to creating environments that heal, she is a powerful advocate for healthier building practices.
Maria is pushing for policies that ensure green products are not only sustainable but also health-friendly, and for greater inclusion in design that considers the diverse needs of those with not just visible disabilities but also less visible yet equally debilitating and challenging conditions such as neurological and cognitive disabilities.
Her unique perspective as someone who has navigated life with an invisible disability provides her with a profound understanding of the challenges faced by those with neurological conditions. This insight fuels her passion for inclusive design that caters to everyone’s needs.
She is also a vocal advocate for eco-friendly and low-toxin living, Maria's mission is driven by her own experiences with the transformative power of well-considered spaces and how common building materials and household products can have a huge health impact not just for those with disabilities, but for all.
Her compelling narratives, shared through articles, blog posts, and speaking engagements, inspire a wide audience to reconsider the role of their surroundings in their daily health and the comfort of others.
Her expertise lies in empowering others to make informed choices about the materials and products they use in their homes. Through her advocacy work, underscored by a commitment to education and empowerment, Maria aims to elevate industry standards and lead a charge towards more mindful, health-oriented and inclusive design practices.
For those seeking to join this vital, life-enhancing mission, Maria invites everyone to explore the resources and support available on her site. With Maria's guidance, together we can create spaces that not only protect our health but also nurture our bodies and souls.
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