Glossary, MAVI 129™ longevity-architecture vocabulary

Air

PM2.5 µg/m³: Particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres. Penetrates deep alveolar tissue and crosses into the bloodstream. WHO 2021 annual guideline is 5 µg/m³; the average urban indoor environment is two to four times that.
VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) µg/m³: Organic chemicals that vaporise into indoor air from paints, adhesives, cleaning products, and some new furnishings. Total VOC load above 300 µg/m³ is associated with cognitive complaint.
CO₂ (Carbon dioxide) ppm: Marker of ventilation quality. Above 1000 ppm, decision-making and complex-task performance measurably degrade; many homes exceed this by mid-evening with closed windows.
Formaldehyde µg/m³: A specific VOC, classified by IARC as a Group 1 human carcinogen. Off-gases from engineered wood products, some adhesives, and a small number of textile finishes.
Radon Bq/m³: Naturally occurring radioactive gas that accumulates in basements and ground-floor rooms in geologies with uranium-bearing rock. Second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco. WHO action level 100 Bq/m³.
MERV / HEPA filtration class: Filter ratings on HVAC and standalone air-purifier media. MERV 13 captures most fine particulate; HEPA captures 99.97% of 0.3 µm particles.

Water

PFAS ng/L: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances; a family of persistent fluorinated chemicals nicknamed "forever chemicals". Found in water supply, non-stick cookware, water-resistant textiles, and some food packaging. EU drinking-water limit 100 ng/L for the regulated sum of twenty.
Microplastics: Plastic particles smaller than 5 mm shed from packaging, textiles, and water infrastructure. Detected in bottled water, kettles, and the human bloodstream.
Lead µg/L: Heavy metal that leaches from older lead service lines and brass fixtures. WHO guideline 10 µg/L; no safe level for paediatric exposure.
Chloramine: A chlorine-ammonia compound used as a longer-lasting disinfectant in some water utilities. More persistent than free chlorine; harder to remove with standard carbon filtration.

Light

Melanopic EDL lux (melanopic): Equivalent Daylight Illuminance, melanopic: the illuminance a non-image-forming photoreceptor (intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell) would receive. The unit that actually governs circadian effect, replacing the older lux-as-brightness measure.
Circadian rhythm: The roughly 24-hour internal cycle that regulates sleep, hormone release, body temperature, and many other physiological processes. Light at the eyes is its master synchroniser.
Blackout integrity: The completeness of bedroom darkness during sleep. Includes window blackout fit, standby LEDs on devices, light leakage under doors, and light pollution from external sources. Even low-level (5 lux) overnight light measurably suppresses melatonin.
Dawn simulation: Gradual artificial sunrise via bedroom lighting in the thirty minutes before wake, used where natural east-light is absent. Improves cortisol-awakening response and subjective sleep quality.
Flicker (PWM): High-frequency on-off cycling in cheap LED drivers. Imperceptible consciously but processed by the visual system; associated with headache and eye strain in sensitive individuals.

Sound

RT60 seconds: Reverberation time: the time taken for sound to decay by 60 dB after a source stops. Long RT60 in a hard-surfaced room produces fatigue; target ranges depend on room use.
Nocturnal decibel average dB(A): Average sound pressure level in the bedroom at night. Chronic 45 dB(A) raises cardiovascular risk independently of subjective sleep quality (WHO 2018).
HVAC noise floor dB(A): The continuous mechanical noise produced by ventilation, heating, and cooling. Often overlooked at design stage; fan-coil units and duct geometry are the usual culprits.

Temperature

Thermoneutral zone (sleep) °C: The narrow ambient temperature range in which the sleeping body does not need to thermoregulate. For most adults under a duvet, 16–19 °C; cooler than waking comfort suggests.
Mean radiant temperature °C: The average temperature of the surfaces around the body, weighted by view factor. A thermally massive cool wall in summer produces comfort even when air temperature is high; a cold single-glazed window in winter produces draft sensation independent of air temperature.
Thermal bridge: A path of high heat conductivity through the building envelope (steel column, balcony slab, window jamb). Produces local cold spots, condensation risk, and mould reservoirs.

Materials

Off-gassing: Slow release of VOCs from new finishes, adhesives, and engineered-wood products. Peaks in the first six to twelve months after install; can persist at lower levels for years.
Phthalate plasticisers: Compounds added to PVC and some soft plastics for flexibility. Endocrine-disrupting; found in shower curtains, vinyl flooring, some textile coatings.
Fire retardant (BFR / OPFR): Brominated and organophosphate flame retardants applied to upholstery foam, drapery, and electronics. Some are persistent organic pollutants with neurological and endocrine effects; specification at sourcing avoids them.

Microbiology

Mould risk: Combined exposure to fungal spores and mycotoxins from damp building components. Driven by humidity, ventilation, and thermal-bridge geometry.
Dust-mite reservoir: Concentration of house-dust-mite allergen in textiles. Depends on humidity (mites colonise above 50% RH), wash cycle, and fibre type.
Indoor microbiome: The community of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses populating indoor surfaces. Diversity correlates with adult immune resilience; sterile is not safe.

Technology

EMF (Electromagnetic field): The combined electric and magnetic field environment of a room. Produced by wiring, devices, Wi-Fi, mobile networks. Evidence base on health effects is mixed; precautionary specification is cheap.
Dirty electricity: High-frequency voltage transients on building wiring, produced by switching power supplies, dimmers, and variable-speed motors. Filterable at the panel.
Bedroom EMF sanctuary: A specification rule: no Wi-Fi router, no charging device, no smart-meter, no DECT phone within two metres of the head of the bed.

Mind

Biophilic design: Design that integrates direct contact with nature (plants, water, daylight, natural materials, views) into the built environment. Reduces stress and accelerates recovery from cognitive load.
View-cone: The volume of visual space from a single seated or standing position. The unit-of-work for biophilic interior design; each cone should contain at least one biophilic anchor.
Sightline depth: The longest unobstructed visual distance available from a position. Long sightlines, particularly to the horizon or to natural elements, produce measurable parasympathetic response.

Habits

Cookware specification: The choice of pan, pot, and bakeware material. Avoids PFAS-coated non-stick at high heat; aluminium with damaged anodising; loose-bonded ceramic coatings.
Smoke point °C: The temperature at which a cooking oil begins to break down into oxidation products. Specifying oil-by-task (high-heat sear vs low-heat dressing) is a habit-side intervention with material exposure consequences.
Walkability of internal layout: The number of incidental steps the internal floor plan produces. Distance between bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living surfaces affects daily NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis).

Methodology

MAVI 129™ framework: A peer-reviewed methodology that scores a residence across ten interconnected biological domains and one hundred and twenty-nine measurable environmental factors. Every recommendation is cited.
MAVI Score: The aggregate output of the MAVI 129™ framework for a given residence: a 0–100 score with band placement, derived by weighting each factor against its evidence base.
Longevity architecture: A design discipline that integrates peer-reviewed longevity science into the residential and hospitality built environment. Distinguished from wellness real estate (which addresses building-scale commercial standards) by its residential-grade resolution and body-side-aligned methodology.
Healthspan: The portion of life lived in good health, distinct from lifespan (total years lived). The target variable of the longevity field as a whole.
Snapshot: MAVI's free, address-based environmental assessment. Eight live data sources, four scored pillar cards, an estimated MAVI Score with band placement. Seven minutes, no card required.
Diagnostic: MAVI's productised entry engagement (CHF 999, one-time). All ten domains scored across the MAVI 129™ framework, reviewed by the MAVI team and delivered as a Blueprint within twenty-four hours.
Living Diagnostic: MAVI's subscription tier (CHF 999 + CHF 199 / month). The Diagnostic kept current via wearables, indoor sensors, and quarterly re-renders against the latest peer-reviewed sources.

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