Background: Lifelong physical activity is related to longer health span, which is reflected at an individual level, and is of substantial socioeconomic relevance. Sedentary lifestyles, on the other hand, pose an increasingly major public health problem. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on activity levels and well-being. Previous research indicates that contact with nature might improve exercise levels as well as well-being. Methods: This randomized, controlled clinical trial (ANKER-study) investigated the effects of two types of nature-based therapies (forest therapy and mountain hiking) in couples (FTG: n = 23; HG: n = 22;) with a sedentary or inactive lifestyle on health-related quality of life, relationship quality and other psychological and physiological parameters. Results: The results of this study displayed that healthy and highly functioning women and men with sedentary lifestyles mentally benefit from contact with nature (quality of life, satisfaction with life, mood, internal and external health-related control beliefs). The gender-specific effect on women is most visible in the physiological outcomes (hemopoietic system, aerobic capacity, skeletal muscle mass and hydration) of mountain hiking. Men and women showed small improvements in blood pressure as a result of the interventions. Conclusions: The ANKER-study provides a method for valid comparison of forest therapy interventions for the first time. Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the nature-based intervention presented could offer a multimodal contribution to maintaining a more active lifestyle, further contact with nature that affects peoples physical as well as mental health, and an improvement in social interaction.

DIN SPEC 5031-100 and CIE S 026:2018 are regulatory frameworks that are intended to establish health-preserving indoor lighting in Europe. Therefore, they are crucial for the visual environment and its sustainability. The standards are largely congruent. Inconsistencies should now be harmonized with the newly published draft standard DIN/TS 5031-100, for which the objection period ended on 3 June 2020; thus, it can be expected that the standard will soon be put into operation. This publication provides the reader with a detailed technical as well as medical overview of the scope and background information on how the standard came about. Applicable laws, ordinances and standards were compiled across countries, and related studies were reviewed. It is demonstrated that the focus of this new standard, as with previous versions, is on the melanopic sensitivity of ganglion cells. The authors base this on a literature search for projects about ecological lighting design over the past 20 years. However, in practice, the publication of the standard does not yet completely counteract the health effects of inappropriate indoor lighting.

Zusammenfassung Das an der Technischen Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm angesiedelte Forschungsprojekt „SIWo – Smart Inklusion für Wohnungslose“ widmet sich der Fragestellung, welche Informations‑, Unterstützungs- und Beratungsbedarfe bei wohnungslosen Menschen vorliegen und in welcher Form sich die Teilhabechancen für die heterogene Zielgruppe wohnungsloser oder von Wohnungsnot betroffener Menschen mittels digitaler Hilfe und Beratungsangebote verbessern lassen. Hierfür werden zum einen mit Gruppendiskussionen und qualitativen Interviews Bedarfe identifiziert. Zum anderen sollen im Rahmen des Projekts prototypische Lösungsansätze in Form einer plattformübergreifenden Hilfe-App entwickelt, getestet und mit Evaluationsverfahren begleitet werden. Charakteristisch ist dabei die enge interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit zwischen Sozialwissenschaft, Informatik und Energietechnik, die partizipative Begleitung des Projekts durch Wohnungslose und andere Stadtakteur*innen, sowie der Fokus auf interaktive Funktionen, die digitalisierte Begegnungsräume ermöglichen und Interaktionen auch zwischen Bevölkerungsgruppen fördern, die i. d. R. eher wenig miteinander zu tun haben. Dieses Vorgehen begreift somit Wohnungslosigkeit nicht ausschließlich als professionelles Arbeitsfeld der Sozialen Arbeit, sondern als gesamtgesellschaftliche Aufgabe.

Sunlight controls endogen hormone balances and numerous health effects. Therefore, it is important to provide building users, such as schoolchildren, with sufficient daylight. Too much of it, however, leads to overheating, which is why shading systems are used. Consequently, these systems improve energy balance, but might not have positive effects on present people’s health. Within this study, shading systems were installed in classrooms of a middle school: common shading in two rooms, while two others were equipped with shading blades “Schlotterer RETROLux 80D” in an innovative design, reflecting more daylight indoors. The participating classes were divided between rooms with ordinary daylighting (n = 43) and advanced daylighting (n = 42). They spent, on average, 5 days weekly and 5–8 h daily in these classrooms. Saliva samples were collected during three semesters to detect hormonal changes. Questionnaires were collected to obtain more information about the mental alterations and, furthermore, to support the physiological results. A significant reduction in cortisol levels between 6:30 AM and 11:30 AM (p < 0.001) was observed within the group that had advanced daylighting. Questionnaires show that both groups sleep less as study duration increases (p < 0.001 time effect), but only the control group has a concurrent increase in daytime sleepiness according to relative treatment effects. The results show that increased daylight supply indoors leads to a significant greater reduction in cortisol levels of children and that those positive outcomes can be achieved by using innovative technologies for buildings.