GLAZING DR MICHAEL GRUND – CEO, EYRISE, NETHERLANDS
Connected
vs.protected –the healthcare paradox
Dr Michael Grund, CEO of Eyrise, looks at how innovative glazing solutions can balance the benefits offered to patients by having access to the outside world with the need to keep people in hospital safe.
Skin is the human body’s biggest organ, yet it is always underestimated. Quietly and dutifully sensing the outside world and shielding us from infection, only when it is compromised do we appreciate the protection it offers. Recent innovation in building skin design can assist the healthcare industry in solving a universal challenge, which centres around the effect on wellbeing when connected with nature while keeping people safe in hospital settings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the
‘connected vs. protected’ conversation was understandably sidelined. Today, doctors are no longer dominated by a global medical emergency, and are able to move from decisions focusing on interior separation within buildings for health and hygiene purposes, back to a broader emphasis on curing disease and decreasing recovery times. A significant part of this picture is
understanding how to create environments which aid patient recovery and support medical professionals’ productivity. When architects and engineers design and build hospitals, bringing the ‘outside inside’ has historically been a complicated task, as the main occupants of the building are physically vulnerable and exposure to outside contaminants must be considered. However, the effect on human health when connected with nature is well documented. People are designed for the outdoors, and they get better more quickly when exposed
Eyrise façade at Merck building in Switzerland.
to green spaces, trees, and plants. A well-known research study,
commonly referred to as View through a window, discovered that post-operative recovery works best in a semi-natural environment. Over a nine year period, 46 patients undergoing the same common operation were placed in recovery rooms, half with windows facing brick walls and half facing trees. People in rooms looking out at nature were discharged from healthcare facilities earlier, spending around 10 per cent less time in hospital (7.96 days), compared with patients
Dr Michael Grund
Dr Michael Grund was appointed CEO of Eyrise in 2023 and has been head of business field LC Windows at the company since 2019.
From 2013 to 2017, he led German science and technology
company Merck’s Korean businesses as managing director for Merck Korea. Before moving to Korea, he was responsible for
Merck’s Process Development in various management positions. Prior to this, he was VP of engineering and maintenance. Before joining Merck, Michael worked in the Center for Expert-
Systems in Dortmund, Germany, where he received his PhD degree in Chemical Engineering in 1997.
IFHE DIGEST 2024
staring at brick walls taking longer to recover (8.70 days). The only difference was the view.1 The results show that permanent
access to an outside natural view helps to reduce hospitalisation length. At Eyrise, I am part of a team
developing liquid crystal solar shading glazing. It takes the form of glass façades, which create aesthetically elegant light- filled buildings where each window sustains uninterrupted views to the natural environment outside regardless of the intensity of sunlight. Crucially, windows can be automatically or manually tinted to provide instant solar shading without compromising on natural daylight, providing visual comfort, thermal regulation, and colour neutrality.
Supporting the circadian rhythm with technology In 2020, we funded an independent research project by deep green engineering practice Elementa Consulting. It was the first in-depth study on the impact of smart façade design on human experience, comparing two smart window technologies which alter the optical and
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©Eyrise
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