ABSTRACT
Life in large cities like London, Barcelona, New York, or Moscow is getting unhealthier. Such places are experiencing increased pressure from human encroachment in many forms. Traffic, industrial wastes, urban pollution, noise, pesticides, and other toxic materials have a negative effect in our daily lives in large cities. All these disturbances have an “invisible” daily impact in every person, but children are considered to be more likely at risk. Children and elderly people are, indeed, the weakest segments of the population. In the case of children in the developing stage, it is particularly relevant to provide them with a healthy home environment, especially from birth to five years of age. The aim of this chapter is to give some guidelines to build a healthy home with particular attention to child development at early stage. It will first describe the main criteria to choose a healthy, affordable location for the house. Secondly, it will explain how to build a home with solid structures and materials to make healthy indoor environments. Finally, the chapter will provide some tips to enhance the setting and decor of every room of the house in order to provide a safe, quiet, and stimulating environment for children.
