
A recent study from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University show that 30% of US households worry that their home may negatively affect their health, up from 27% in 2014.
The households surveyed ranked indoor air quality (75%), water quality (38%), and safety and comfort of the physical structure (27%) as some of their biggest worries. Indoor environmental quality issues that generated the most concern include dampness/mold/moisture, dust, pests, water quality, and pet dander.
To address these concerns, the households indicated that they typically turn to DIY-type projects that address individual components of the home and require constant maintenance.
Emergent smart home technologies offer a competitive advantage for builders to address these concerns and deliver homes that work to promote wellness. Recent innovations in the space include smart home technology specifically geared towards retirement communities and water systems that clean and reuse gray water.
Delos is a wellness real estate and technology firm that offers an automated system designed to enhance health in the home. The company proposes that it really is what’s on the inside—of homes at least—that counts, and that elevating the quality of our built environments can improve everything from daily productivity to sleeping patterns.
“We spend 90% of our time indoors, but when we first began to research this concept we realized there was very little focus on the impact of the indoor environment on the human condition,” says Paul Scialla, CEO and Founder of Delos.
Delos developed DARWIN Home Wellness Intelligence to focus on air filtration, water purification, circadian lighting, and comfort elements. The whole home ecosystem monitors and maintains a healthy indoor environment. “We are seeing indoor air quality that is two to five times worse than the air quality outside, and we know that what surrounds us affects 70% of our health outcomes,” notes Scialla. “To address this, we spent five years on heavy research to create a wellness platform to deliver preventive medical interventions to the public.”
The company debuted DARWIN earlier this year at CES in Las Vegas at the Builder KB Home ProjeKt, a concept home designed to demonstrate healthy living at an affordable price.
Currently, DARWIN is offered as an option for homebuyers at the KB Home Genoa Community in Irvine, CA. “The DARWIN sensors [are] continually and automatically monitoring and remediating pollutants. It is easy for our customers to adopt, and they can make all the adjustments they need,” according to Jacob Atalla, Vice President of Sustainability.
“At Delos, we think health is a right, not a privilege, and we have spent a lot of time and focus and strategy to offer this solution to all classes of buyers,” says Scialla. “We want to get this in as many hands as possible.”
To invest in a competitive edge that delivers a health proposition for homebuyers, visit https://delos.com/.