Dhomo: Quality of Life

Dhomo is a unique research project—a true full-scale construction site-laboratory—that has enabled the development of innovative products not only from a technical standpoint but also in terms of the philosophy behind their design: to contribute to the well-being and quality of life of the people who inhabit these spaces. Developed in collaboration with the University of Trento and a select network of trusted partners—involved both scientifically and technologically, from design through implementation—Dhomo is a concrete example of how today’s construction choices can influence tomorrow’s quality of life.

The Dhomo project was born out of and is rooted in the needs of a group of companies that not only decided to evolve and change their approach, but also to bring new, concrete, and scientific solutions to the market. The construction industry is shifting its focus to the issue of living comfort, but how can this be measured scientifically? And how can we define replicable parameters for projects that are truly sustainable and guarantee well-being? The construction market still does not discuss or take sufficient action regarding how architectural, construction, and design solutions can truly influence not only our health but also our actual perception of well-being. Dhomo, therefore, aims to answer these questions by conducting research on aspects that have been little analyzed so far, with a view to sharing the findings with the stakeholders involved in the process.

Research into living comfort is being put into practice in the Dhomo project,a full-scale construction site-laboratory consistingof six buildings—named A, B, C, D, E, and F—built using different construction techniques. Before delving into the specifics of the project, it is worth defining living comfort as“a psychophysical condition in which an individual expresses satisfaction with the microclimate.”

With the aim of analytically defining living comfort and developing high-performance products that have a direct and tangible impact on quality of life, a complex of residential buildings was constructed using different construction technologies; however, in terms of shape, surface area, exposure, and orientation, these buildings are entirely comparable to one another. This made it possible to analyze and compare the data collected—thanks to an advanced system of sensors installed during construction—to identify the best technologies for living comfort and develop new natural, healthy, and breathable products.

There are three key aspects of the project that makeit unique in the research landscape:

1. the constructionof actual buildings intended for residential use, as opposed to the traditional studio modules used for similar experiments, which will allow the behavior of materials and systems to be analyzed in a real and complex environment that perfectly mirrors the operating conditions typical of any building;
2. the perfect comparability ofthe buildings under study: these buildings are comparable in terms of shape, size, surface area, and exposure, thereby eliminating as many variables as possible and collecting data that is as accurate and comparable as possible, in order to conduct an accurate analysis and draw scientifically valid conclusions;
3. A comprehensive approach to comfort, in all its aspects—both subjective and objective: it is important to be aware of the different nature of the parameters to be monitored. On the one hand, there are physiological parameters, which can be divided into four main categories: thermo-hygrometric, visual, acoustic, and air quality; on the other hand, there are parameters related to quality, such as the view to the outside.

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The research project began with an initial phase of data monitoring during the construction of the buildings, which made it possible to analyze the behavior of the structures, finishes, and systems by comparing, for example, the results obtained from the use of different products, natural or mechanical ventilation, convective or radiant systems, and home automation or manual management.

In addition to monitoring buildings under construction, a dynamic model was developed in parallel using TRNSYS software from the University of Trento, which enabled dynamic simulations of building behavior under other conditions. The ability to calibrate this model using data collected from actual buildings ensured that the results obtained were accurate.

Over the course of the following year, this data was supplemented by an analysis of the actual perceived well-being of the families who had moved into the homes. This invaluable wealth of information made it possible to define a holistic, integrated index—a sort of unit of measurement for determining living comfort—providing Tassullo with unique and hard-to-replicate expertise, which gave the company a competitive advantage in supporting designers and builders engaged in the construction of comfortable and sustainable buildings.

The products used in the Dhomo project have been awarded the DHOMO TESTED AND APPROVED icon, which indicates high-performance, breathable products that have been formulated and tested to contribute positively to indoor air quality.