18/02/2026
The 8th Llach Serra Forum, held at the Casal in Vilafranca del Penedès, continued the third season of this series of debates dedicated to analyzing the major challenges related to housing and its impact on society. In this edition, the focus was placed on a highly topical issue: the relationship between housing and health.
How does the space we live in influence our physical and mental well-being? What is the relationship between architecture and health? What is the exposome, and why is it key to understanding the impact of the built environment on our quality of life? These were some of the questions that shaped a cross-cutting debate, connecting the real estate sector with the medical, technical, and architectural fields.
Ponents de referència en salut ambiental i arquitectura saludable
The event featured a panel of professionals with well-established careers in their respective fields:
- Rubén Llach, session moderator, economist, university professor, and managing partner at Llach Serra & Associats.
- Padma Solanas Noguera, physician and coordinator of the Centre for Biological Medicine, and board member of SOCSA.
- Milena Ràfols Salvador, industrial engineer, chair of the Environment and Health working group at COEIC, and coordinator of the Physical Exposome Working Group at SOCSA.
- Sònia Hdez-Montaño Bou, architect and founder of Arquitectura Sana, coordinator of Architecture and Health at COAC, and board member of SOCSA.
The combination of these perspectives made it possible to approach housing not only as a real estate asset, but as a direct determinant of health.
Housing as a Determinant of Health
One of the central themes of the debate was the idea that housing is not a neutral element. The conditions of the space where we live have a direct impact on people’s physical, emotional, and cognitive health.
Special attention was given to factors such as:
- Natural light and its relationship with circadian rhythms.
- Ventilation and indoor air quality.
- Building materials and the presence of contaminant compounds.
- Noise and its impact on stress and rest.
- The urban environment and its impact on mental and social health.
The discussion highlighted that designing and living in healthy spaces is not just an aesthetic or technical matter, but a direct investment in quality of life.
Exposome: Understanding the Overall Impact of the Environment
The concept of the exposome took center stage in the session. This term refers to the totality of environmental exposures a person accumulates throughout their life, from air quality to the materials they come into contact with on a daily basis.
In the context of housing, the physical exposome makes it possible to analyze how built spaces can contribute to well-being or, conversely, generate invisible yet cumulative risks. The scientific perspective brought by the speakers highlighted the need for coordinated work among professionals in health, engineering, and architecture.
Architecture and Health: Towards a Model of Healthy Housing
The session also delved into the concept of healthy architecture, which integrates criteria of sustainability, bioconstruction, and environmental health into the design of spaces.
It was highlighted that the quality of a home is not measured solely in square meters or location, but also in its ability to provide comfort, reduce stress, and promote a balanced indoor environment. Urban planning and architectural design therefore have a direct responsibility for collective health.
A Necessary Debate for the Real Estate Sector
The 8th Llach Serra Forum highlighted that the real estate sector cannot be separated from health and well-being criteria. Professionals from the real estate, technical, and healthcare fields agreed on the need to incorporate this cross-cutting perspective into the development, renovation, and marketing of housing.
Healthy housing is emerging as one of the major challenges in the coming years, in a context where quality of life and sustainability are gaining importance in decision-making.
Watch the 8th Llach Serra Forum again
If you couldn’t attend the event, you can watch the full video on our YouTube channel and explore all the insights shared during the session.
What are the Llach Serra Forums?
The Llach Serra Forums, jointly promoted with the Casal Societat La Principal of Vilafranca del Penedès, were created with the aim of bringing a rigorous analysis of the main issues related to housing and heritage closer to both the general public and sector professionals.
With this eighth edition, the series reaffirms its commitment to outreach, debate, and interdisciplinary connection to build a more comprehensive understanding of the role of housing in today’s society.
Upcoming Forums
- Data: 12 de maig del 2026
- Topic: “Interior Design”