We are proud to share that the peer-reviewed scientific paper on Living Places Copenhagen has been published in Energy and Buildings. Read the publication here.

The study explores how housing can connect the well-being of its users with an ultra-low environmental impact — not only in design and construction, but also in long-term operation.

Why does this matter? Because we spend around 90% of our lives indoors. Daylight, air quality, materials, and the way spaces adapt to us are not small details; they shape our health, comfort, and climate footprint. Living Places demonstrates that homes can go beyond shelter — they can nurture, sustain, and enrich everyday life.

Key insights from the study:

• Positive user experiences: residents valued the ease of adjusting shading and ventilation, the strong connection to nature, and the benefits of abundant natural light.

• Comfort and sustainability can align: it is possible to build single-family homes that drastically cut emissions while improving living comfort — without becoming unaffordable.

• Design for the full life cycle: by planning for operation (ventilation, daylight, shading) and for future reuse or disassembly, the environmental impact of a home can be significantly reduced.

• Raising industry standards: the Living Places model shows how regulation and practice could set higher expectations for indoor environmental quality while lowering required carbon emissions.

• Collaboration is key: architects, engineers, and builders can achieve far better health and carbon outcomes by working more closely from the very beginning.

Living Places Copenhagen is the result of a collaboration between VELUX, EFFEKT and Artelia, built by Enemærke & Petersen a/s.

Authors: Nicole Di Santo, Ricardo Forgiarini Rupp, Jens Christoffersen, Lucile Sarran, Siobhan Rockcastle, Rasmus Søgaard, Steffen Maagaard, Kasper Benjamin Reimer Bjørkskov, Juan Pablo Herrero Gil, Ambra Guglietti, and Lone Feifer.