There is a growing recognition that the built environment can substantially
impact occupant well-being. However, pinpointing the specific impacts of design features proves
to be challenging. While significant advancements have been made using sensing, feedback, and
control in
"smart buildings", outcomes have focused primarily on energy savings, thermal
comfort, and security. Buildings of the future should go beyond this to infer and support the mental
and physical well-being of the occupants. A scientific approach to designing buildings for
wellbeing can both create knowledge as well as improve the physical and mental health of large
populations. Our team with expertise in architecture, sructural and materials engineering
human-computer interaction, psychology, environmental behavior, and security, privacy and
law is examining how interior features (i.e., materials, lighting, and artwork representing diverse
identities) relate to multifaceted dimensions of well-being. Through online studies, controlled
laboratory experiments, and vitual reality studies, we have been exploring the effects of these
varied features on biopsychosocial indicators of
well-being including belonging, stress,
creativity, and pro-environmental concern, measured through physiological sensors and self-
reported assessments. The results of several related studies and their implications will be presented,
as well as methodological challenges surrounding the design, experimentation, and operation of
human-centered built environments.