Built to Thrive: Light, Health & the Future of Architecture

What if your home or office is silently shaping your health, your mood, and even your future? In this eye-opening episode, Dave sits down with Dr. Mandana Khanie, Lecturer in Health and Wellbeing in Sustainable Buildings at UCL and Deputy Director of the Light and Lighting MSc Program. Together, they explore how the architecture of our indoor lives, where we now spend 90% of our time, profoundly impacts our biological rhythms, mental health, and long-term wellness.Mandana shares her unique journey from aspiring medical doctor to architectural engineer, and why reconnecting design with natural sunlight is essential to reversing modern public health trends. They discuss cutting-edge research on circadian rhythms, the unintended health risks of LED lighting, and how built environments could be reshaped with real sunlight exposure, shadow mapping, and human-centric design at the core.This episode is a must-listen for anyone in architecture, urban planning, real estate, or simply passionate about wellness and sustainability. Tune in to hear how we can design buildings and cities that are not only energy-efficient but biologically nourishing.Sunlight Matters is a podcast exploring the role of the Sun in human health, architecture, cities, and everyday life.Through conversations with scientists, architects, and technologists, the series examines how natural light shapes our bodies, our buildings, and the way we live indoors.Hosted by Dave Wallace, Sunlight Matters asks a simple but overlooked question: what happens when we disconnect from the Sun?Because sunlight isn’t optional. It matters.Please do not forget to Like and Subscribe.