Hello Building Occupant !

Welcome to Calumbo, the eye-opener on buildings !

Delighted to have you here. We have something in common, you know.  Do you realise that you and I are both building occupants? Every day, we occupy buildings - whether it's our home, our work location, or somewhere we pass through or stay. But when do we truly see what makes these spaces tick?

The truth is, the technology that brings buildings to life often works "quietly" behind the scenes. Hidden inside walls, beneath floors, above ceilings, behind doors of equipment rooms - out of sight but always at work. And unless you're in the know, it's easy to take it all for granted.

CALUMBO reveals the unseen: the intricate systems and technologies that not only keep your home and every building you enter running smoothly, but also ensure a liveable indoor environment and many other functionalities.     

Whether you are a curious homeowner, a student or a building professional, you are about to discover knowledge, experiences, and more presented in ways that are both accessible and insightful. 

The eye-opening journey has already begun with a visit to this website. Let's explore and understand what is working behind the scenes!

Johan Cruijff, the iconic Dutch football player of yesteryear, known for his philosophical, inimitable expressions, said it in this appropriate brain teaser:

"You'll only see it once you understand it!"

TOPICS AND THIS WEBSITE'S APPROACH

With billions of buildings of all shapes, sizes, and complexities and a multitude of installation types per building, plus a versatile outdoor environment, covering all associated topics is sheerly impossible, as you will understand.

Therefore, my approach to this overwhelming cloud of information is to stay close to home, literally, and restrict myself to writing about houses and maybe the most common workplaces: offices, to narrow down the focus. All kinds of cases and examples from other sectors I will mention, of course.

I also keep up to date with the latest news, even though this sometimes involves innovations that are not yet ready for the market. It will be a challenge to strike a balance between the understandable conventional existing and the new that is in the pipeline.

But I don't see this website as a one-way street, with me sending and you receiving. I invite you to let me know three of your areas of interest or topics via a special form. To be able to write more tailored to the readership.

Due to my full schedule and the time I need to write, I'll ask for your patience regarding responses and actually adding a requested subject to my writing schedule. Unfortunately, I have no staff available for this. I trust in your understanding. Anyway, happy reading!

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BUILDING ENVELOPE

Drawing a house in kindergarten comes closest to representing a building's envelope. It shows walls, door, windows and roof. A floor that is part of the envelope is invisible in such a work of art.

The building's envelope serves as a barrier between the indoor and outdoor environments, protecting the indoors against the outside world, particularly against the weather. The latter is a primary function of a building, a need that has existed since we, sorry, I mean our ancestors, emerged from their caves. Weather encompasses a wide range, from extreme cold to extreme heat.

The building envelope is explicitly a prominent subject of architectural design. In publications about buildings, for example, in professional or public magazines, it is always the exterior image that is shown. The building, as a work of art, is the fruit of architectural creativity. A statement to the outside world, from both owner and architect.

The building envelope shows the most visible part of a building. Why is it a subject worth mentioning on my website and publications about the invisible?

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SUMMER HEAT

The summer heat is over, that is, when your location is somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. Can you handle indoor temperatures of over 30°C (86°F) all day, for several or many days?

Even if you are inactive, the stifling heat takes a toll on you, leaving you feeling drained of energy and vitality. You might even experience summer fatigue or a feeling of lethargy. Those may be signs of what is called Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD, a kind of depression.

The impact of summer heat on people's health, however, can be much greater. It comes down to a combination of a person's exposure, sensitivity, and adaptivity. The Indoor Environment should be classified under the heading "Exposure". That is why good heat-resilient and cooling facilities in buildings are becoming increasingly important.

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