Architecture that heals

Bio-construction or sustainable architecture are hashtags that go along with conventional architecture to revolutionise it, from the foundations up, with a key premise: human beings must live inside houses. An idea as obvious as it is challenging. We spoke to the architect and expert in bio-construction, Sonia Hernández-Montaño.

Have you ever wondered what materials your home has been built with, what lighting prevails, or how the distribution of spaces is affecting your mood? Arquitectura sana is the name of the project, and also the philosophy, that Sonia’s team took to Catalonia in 2009 with the aim of making our homes more habitable from a human and well-being point of view.

Most of our time is spent in enclosed spaces, but we are generally unaware of the extent to which these spaces can have a direct impact on our physical and mental health. In a new episode of People, Hernández-Montaño highlights all the elements and practices we need to take into account to improve our lives.

The unseen well-being

Construction is constantly evolving, and in recent decades has incorporated technological elements and new materials. Hernández-Montaño points out, however, that “along the way we have forgotten that there are people inside buildings, that buildings not only have to consume less energy and minimise the resources used, but that we also have to sustain life inside”. He argues that we are all architects, and we can all use this health tool to support people’s well-being.

Among the most important aspects, we find some key actions to maintain the quality of life inside the spaces, starting with ventilation, a key point if it is carried out in the right way and that can even reduce pollution that may come from outside. The second key point is lighting, the “conductor of our biological clock” which has to change according to the time of day to follow our circadian rhythm.

It is also essential to take into account and reduce the presence of pollutants in the interior spaces, an objective that is reflected in the choice of materials, whether in construction, furniture, or cleaning products. Listen to the entire conversation to discover the rest of the tips that will make your home a healthy space.

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Amb l’entrada d’any, tots ens proposem assolir algunes fites personals. I, possiblement, el propòsit que suma més adeptes és el de fer exercici. Ara, un estudi de la Universitat de Boston demostra que l’entrenament intens i breu pot millorar la forma física molt més que els exercicis suaus, com caminar 10.000 passes al dia. T’ho expliquem!

Ens passem el dia davant de la pantalla, a l’oficina o teletreballant, i sovint és un miracle si aconseguim arrencar-li al dia una mitja horeta per fer esport. Aquests 30 minuts, però, poden ser la clau per compensar les vuit hores de treball. Els investigadors de la facultat de Medicina de la Universitat de Boston, liderats pel doctor Matthew Nayor, han analitzat l’esforç de més de 2.000 persones i han conclòs que l’exercici és saludable sempre, és clar, però si s’entrena fort i breu s’obté un resultat millor.

“Hem constatat que, en la millora del cos, l’activitat intensa, però amb menys temps d’esforç, és més eficient que caminar”. El doctor Nayor, que també exerceix com a cardiòleg al Centre Mèdic de Boston, el principal hospital universitari de la ciutat, assegura en un article al World Economic Forum, que “l’efecte negatiu que té el sedentarisme en la forma física pot compensar-se amb nivells molt alts d’activitat”.

A partir de l’estudi, publicat al ‘European Heart Journal’, els investigadors també van descobrir que, curiosament, els valors alts d’activitat i els valors baixos, ambdós realitzats amb vuit anys de diferència, tenen nivells equivalents en l’aptitud física. “Això fa pensar que pot haver-hi un efecte memòria”, afirma Nayor. Sense dissuadir les persones de complir amb les 10.000 passes diàries, els científics demostren que l’esforç intens és tres vegades més eficient que només caminar.

La fita: 75 minuts setmanals d’exercici intens

Així, en una taula d’exercicis, els investigadors consideren que un exercici de nivell baix com caminar és fer entre 60 i 99 passes per minut, un nivell moderat és fer entre 100 i 129 passos per minut i un nivell intens és fer més de 130 passes per minut.

Amb aquesta classificació, els investigadors recomanen o bé dedicar entre 150 i 300 minuts setmanals a fer un exercici moderat o bé invertir entre 75 i 150 minuts a la setmana a fer exercici intens, és a dir, exercitar-nos entre 25 i 50 minuts tres dies a la setmana. Amb qualsevol de les dues rutines, obtindrem els mateixos resultats físics. Així que, endavant amb els propòsits d’any nou!

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There are now more mobile devices in the world than people. Mobile phones have changed the way we live, work, communicate and even our quality of life, wellbeing and health.

An app is a standalone piece of software that is made to perform a specific task and is optimised for use on smartphones, tablets or smartwatches based on the features available. Health apps are known as mobile Health (mHealth), and according to the World Health Organization (WHO) it is a “delivery of health information and services using mobile technologies”.

What is a health application?

It falls within the field of eHealth, understood as the use of communication and information technologies applied to health services (computers, mobile phones, GPS, connected medical instrument monitors, medical robots, etc.). These are computer programmes that are used on mobile platforms and are often connected to medical devices that tell us how to improve our health or prevent risks. There are also diagnostic applications for treating patients or communicating with our healthcare system.

The European Commission states that medical and public health practice is compatible with mobile phones, patient monitoring devices, personal digital assistants and other wireless devices. It also includes in this category applications related to health information to the population, medication reminders sent by SMS, telemedicine, training and guidance systems and even lifestyle and wellness applications created with the aim of maintaining or improving the population’s healthy habits through the practice of sport and wellness.

How are they monitored and what quality criteria is used?

In Catalonia, a method for evaluating mobile health applications using objective variables, called iSYScore, has been used for some time now.

The criteria used by iSYScore to select the most suitable mobile health apps is based on the opinions of users, developers and health professionals, and is based on three key factors: popularity, trust and usefulness.

What are the problems with these applications?

Basically, the lack of loyalty. There are few apps that have achieved long-term stability. A study confirms that 70% of chronically ill people who have used them stop using them after six months. And 80% of apps are abandoned after only two weeks. To improve these figures, personalisation based on different profiles would be advisable. Each person is unique, and these apps act in a generic way.

Another problem to be faced is that of data ownership and data protection, as well as the loss of credibility the product may have if it doesn’t work for the first users who try it.

Tips for choosing a reliable application

1. Be informed: Search and compare applications on search engines such as Google. 
2. Reviews: Search forums for user opinions. 
3. List of options: Choose between 4 or 5 applications.
4. Reliability:  Make sure they are based on scientific evidence, and a good place to do this is to look for references in PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information).
5. Test: It would be advisable to test (try out) the application with a friend. If, for example, you suffer from insomnia, it is important that your friend does not suffer from insomnia so that you can share how it went.
6. Who is behind it? To be a quality (reliable) application, it is important that technicians, health professionals (who will be different depending on the purpose of the product) and experts in legislation and data management have been involved in the process. 
7. Obsolescence: Clinical studies require time and in the world of new technologies time passes very quickly and therefore needs to be taken into account.

Following these simple steps will ensure that the applications you use are quite reliable.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

If you don’t quite understand why, despite living in a so-called meritocracy, your efforts are not rewarded, don’t worry, a computer model of wealth creation overturns the notion that economic success is linked to talent and individual effort, concluding that luck plays a much more important role.

The lottery of opportunity is handed out at birth, but we have little chance of winning. This seems to be the conclusion of the thesis defended by a group of scientists led by Alessandro Pluchino, professor of Theoretical Physics and Mathematical Modelling at the University of Catania.

Pluchino and his team developed a computer model that uses simulations to analyse the distribution of wealth and success in a hypothetical population, to test the extent to which factors such as human talent and luck play a role.

The aim was to dissect to what extent the role of chance influences the widely dominant meritocratic paradigm in Western cultures, which is based on the notion that success is mainly, if not exclusively, due to personal qualities such as talent, intelligence, skills, effort or risk-taking.

How does the computer model work?

The team fed data from a hypothetical population of people with the average distribution of talent and intelligence into the simulator. The computer model then generated a simulation equivalent to a 40-year working life, introducing fortunate and unfortunate events over time, which equate to opportunities to increase or decrease wealth.

Following this method, the researchers found that, more often than not, wealth is linked to luck rather than talent: “Our model shows that while it is true that some degree of talent is necessary to succeed in life, the most talented people rarely achieve the highest peaks, being outperformed by moderately talented but significantly luckier individuals.

In the end, the team checked whether the resulting wealth distribution matched that of the real world, where 80% of the population owns 20% of the wealth. And it did, again and again. Put another way, the results confirmed that, despite differences in talent and effort, chance plays a crucial role in determining who becomes extremely wealthy. This means that many talented and hard-working people will not be rich simply because they have not been as lucky as others.

On the other hand, the simulations also showed that opportunities are unevenly distributed. People who already have certain advantages, such as a good level of education or a good network of contacts, are more likely to encounter opportunities that can lead to large economic gains, while those who start from a less privileged position often find it more difficult to access the same opportunities.

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Artificial intelligence generates equal parts of admiration and rejection. The advantages of a digitalised world clash with the desire not to lose traditional practices. The fear, primarily, is of losing the human side, but what if technology could help us to enhance it?

In recent years, research in scientific fields has been strengthened thanks to the incorporation of AI, artificial intelligence. Universities, companies, and projects are joining forces to advance and improve both disease diagnosis and treatment, with special emphasis on improving the quality of life of patients, both physically and psychologically.

Artificial intelligence reaches the field of mental health and is part of this crusade, between therapists and patients, to speed up the diagnosis process, facilitate its recognition and improve the precision of each treatment.

Algorithms to prevent disease

In everything that affects mental health, the prevention factor is key. For this reason, entities, companies, and organisations are joining forces – increasingly sophisticated – to make tools available to the population that facilitate the process of asking for help. Diagnosis, treatment, and recovery depend on this first step.

Countries such as the United States have taken action, and more and more research centres are turning to AI. We find projects such as The Trevor Project, which, through AI, has created a safe space for the LGBTQI+ community, especially as a support for young people. The reason is as simple as it is worrying: they estimate that in the United States alone, 1.8 million young people consider suicide every year, and at least one young person attempts suicide every 45 seconds. If we expand these figures, calculated only in relation to the LGBTQI+ collective, among the total population, the figures increase considerably.

Catalonia has also developed research projects and companies oriented towards AI for mental health. For example, the STOP Project, led by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, is aimed at detecting depression and preventing suicide and eating disorders. They do this thanks to an algorithm that acts focused on social networks, a space where users are especially vulnerable. Thanks to the latest campaigns carried out, the project has managed to increase by 60% the calls to the Telèfon de l’Esperança, a foundation that accompanies all those who feel lonely or may need help.

The right words can save lives

AI has made it possible to take a step forward, and businesses from different fields are creating algorithms to help. The first advantage of digital tools is accessibility, allowing therapeutic resources to be at hand anywhere and at any time. This is a key advantage, although it may minimise its effect on profiles of people who are not very technological or without resources.

The sophistication of AI systems is such that they are capable of analysing the patient’s behaviour, facial expressions, tone of voice, or the language they use. With all this data, the X-ray of a patient can be much more realistic, and the diagnosis more accurate. Two key factors in mental health, especially if we take into account that half of the patients receive erroneous diagnoses, according to Aimentia, a Catalan company that develops digital tools for professionals in the field of mental health.

Other algorithms go further and analyse conversations between patients and therapists with the aim of providing professionals with a more accurate approach when communicating with patients. The goal of all these projects is clear: to get mental health problems, which according to the WHO affect one in four people, treated and cured.

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MyRealFood app was launched two years ago and has already had more than two million users. It scans everything we eat to find out if it is healthy, and recommends simple recipes to help us cook more conscientiously. With a single application, consumer rights are defended and, at the same time, new eating habits are promoted. Sofia Belenguer, co-founder of the project, explains it to us in a new episode of People.

Beyond scanning all the products found in supermarkets and supermarkets, Belenguer explains that MyRealFood brings together more than 130,000 recipes, many of them created by the users themselves, who make up an active community where they exchange favourite foods, recommend products and can even sign up for nutritional plans by subscription. “The app works for the community and so that you can lead a healthier life,” the CEO summarises.

The project was born out of the food concerns of a group of young people from different fields: Sofia Belenguer herself, the nutritionist Carlos Ríos, the current CTO David Vicente and Toni Mancha. Belenguer, who is a lawyer by training, began to wonder why, as a consumer, she was unable to tell from the product label whether what she was buying was healthy enough. And she realised that the same thing was happening to her colleagues and friends.

“I realised that I lacked a lot of nutritional training and that I had to educate myself,” she recalls. And that is how the project expanded. Belenguer argues that, on the one hand, there is not enough nutritional education and, on the other, food advertising does not help either. The combination of one thing and the other creates a breeding ground that prevents us from knowing what we eat and how to improve our diet.

The nutritional table, but above all, the ingredients.

And what is important to analyse when we buy a product? “It is crucial to look at what ingredients the product contains, and in what quantities, information that can be found in the nutritional table,” Belenguer answers. This is where the app is of great help: “Using our own algorithm, which marks from 0 to 100, from least to most healthy, we can know whether a product is healthy or not,” the CEO summarises. 

Do you want to know how MyRealFood has become a reference app for consumers, but also for food companies? Do you want to learn how to have healthier habits? Listen to the whole conversation!

11Onze is the fintech community of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut on Android and Apple and join the revolution!

The automation of work is creating an occupational metamorphosis, in which tasks usually done by humans are transferred to a set of technologies. Economics is not spared, and artificial intelligence is also gaining ground. But are economic forecasting algorithms a real alternative to economists?

As a result of the digitisation process of the last decades, huge amounts of data are being generated that are transforming the methods by which we analyse statistical models. Storing, registering, and analysing this constant flow of information has become an essential task for many sectors of the economy.

A technological revolution has opened up new possibilities in economic and financial forecasting capabilities. The analysis of these large databases, known as ‘big data’, would not be possible without artificial intelligence (AI). A rather broad term that encompasses a whole range of ideas.

Even so, there are two concepts in this field: machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), mathematical algorithms that allow computers to identify patterns in data and make predictions by imitating humans. Two computational advances that form the basis of economic forecasting with artificial intelligence.

An algorithmic crystal ball

Experts often compare algorithmic forecasting to “a crystal ball”. Indeed, this metaphor is the title of an internal study published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in which the authors of the research, Jin-Kyu Jung, Manasa Patnam and Anna Ter-Martirosyan, try to establish whether macroeconomic forecasting algorithms can improve on the results predicted by IMF economists themselves.

The study applies three different machine learning algorithms to a common economic forecasting problem, and the results are surprising. In all three cases, the algorithmic prediction far surpassed the benchmark performance of IMF economists.

In their observations, the authors warn that there are still factors that require further research. They also state that, for these predictions to be truly effective, real-time observations would have to be included. They explain that there is some freedom in the introduction of the parameters used by the algorithms, and that this may be key to determining their effectiveness.

Even so, in their conclusion they agree on the fact that the potential of machine learning in terms of statistical analysis of economic data is evident; and that, although these predictions made by algorithms cannot fully replace the work of economists, they represent a valuable additional reference when making decisions on economic forecasting.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

Food production generates one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is insufficient for millions of people suffering from food insecurity. Some studies advocate for a shift towards a more sustainable system, focusing on both human and environmental well-being.

A report by the World Economic Forum’s New Frontiers in Nutrition community, in collaboration with Accenture, calls for a significant shift in strategy to transform the global food system based on human and planetary health. A pathway to a sustainable food system that would enable people to lead happier, healthier and more productive lives.

It is an initiative that integrates the public, private and community sectors, focusing on increasing the availability, access, and uptake of nutritious food choices, while keeping sustainability goals in mind. It underlines the need for cross-sectoral collaboration to transform food systems and policies with the ultimate goal of achieving a more equitable and sustainable food landscape with improved global health outcomes.

The initiative details the steps to follow for healthier diets, with an emphasis on nutrient-rich, minimally processed and predominantly plant-based foods. Key suggestions include encouraging the production of organic foods that are affordable and accessible, while strengthening the link between food and health in consumer awareness.

It also advocates for facilitating a retail environment that makes nutritious choices the default option. Although most indicators of inadequate diets affecting the most vulnerable sectors of society focus on malnutrition, malnutrition is also defined by a lack of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and other key micronutrients.

An economic opportunity in transforming food systems

The World Economic Forum’s findings are in line with another global report by leading economists and scientists at the Food System Economics Commission (FSEC), which finds that existing food systems destroy more value than they create, especially because of environmental and health costs.

A poor diet is also linked to an increased risk of common mental illnesses. Depression alone costs the global economy $1 trillion per year in lost labour productivity.

In this context, a study by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that the hidden environmental, social and health costs of current agri-food systems amounted to an additional 11 trillion euros in 2020.

In this sense, shifting to a more sustainable global food system could generate up to 7.9 trillion euros of benefits per year, as well as improving our health and alleviating the climate crisis. The cost of the transformation would therefore be far less than the potential dividends, providing a better life for hundreds of millions of people.

The study proposes to divert subsidies and tax incentives from large-scale monocultures that are destructive and dependent on fertilisers, pesticides and forest clearance, to small and medium-sized producers. At the very least, as an alternative to the current system that pushes farmers to run large, intensively industrialised farms.

However, the main challenge of a transition to this new agri-food model is the rising cost of food. A paradigm shift that requires not only consumer awareness but also taking into account the current economic situation, unless we want to see farmers’ protests turning into a globalised popular revolt.

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The reasoning is both simple and powerful: the most important and profitable asset of any company is its employees. So what could be better than keeping the organisation’s most important asset in its natural state, where its full potential manifests itself?

However, this reasoning does not apply exclusively to the workplace. Its connotations are paramount, since all people are workers, at least potentially, whether in active work, post-work, academia, or any other situation. It is evident, then, that happiness transcends any of these reasoning, to go to the common denominator: the human being.

Scientific research into happiness

Talking about happiness is nothing new, Aristotle was already making profound dissertations in the 4th century B.C. However, in recent years, the concept of positive psychology, which is a current of psychology that studies the bases of psychological well-being and happiness, as well as human strengths and virtues, has gained momentum. It differs from other psychology currents and its historical precedents in that it is based on the scientific method. Psychologist Martin Seligman laid its foundations at the end of the 1990s, and other authors, such as Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, have added to it with their contributions.

At first glance, the purpose of positive psychology may sound too arrogant: ‘now science wants to tell us what happiness is? But there are many dissenting voices who believe that happiness goes far beyond the processing of a simple set of measurable values in the realm of psychology.

Debates aside, we all know, without needing to learn it, when we feel good and, above all, when we feel bad. It is innate. The fact is that our organism goes smoothly with wellbeing, while it starts to give warning signals when we experience discomfort.

What do the experts say?

Given that companies are above all groups of people, it may seem basic to ensure the well-being and satisfaction of workers at work. However, in the business logic linked to the Industrial Revolution (still very present everywhere), the general paradigm has been quite the opposite: to make them work to the maximum in order to obtain higher profits. A vision in which their personal well-being is far from the company’s concern.

Studies on the subject conclude that the experience of workers who feel at ease in their organisation is far more precious than even the material goods they may receive as gratification. This is because this experience has no shelf life; it can always be recalled and enjoyed again.

Employee happiness as a barometer of business health

So now it is no longer just about focusing on the famous customer experience (CX), but the employee experience also plays a key role in the success of the organisation. Both from the company’s point of view, because a happy, creative or empathetic employee is synonymous with a more productive worker, and from the worker’s point of view, because we spend almost a third of our lives at work.

A good sign of the consolidation of this trend is the emergence of several indices, such as the Global Workplace Happiness Index, which measure happiness in the workplace. Likewise, the figure known as Chief Happiness Officer or director of well-being is consolidating in those organisations that are committed to the value of people and the profitability of a happy employee.

What a strange mix and, at the same time, what a fruitful synergy when the focus of the organisation is on people!

At 11Onze we have believed in this fundamental value from the beginning, which is shared by all the people who make up our community. And it works!

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Even though financial literacy is a necessary skill that is essential for our daily lives, only one in three adult European citizens have minimal financial literacy. We explain which steps you can take to optimise your finances.

Having finances under control, i.e. financial well-being is essential for our peace of mind and a basic pillar for achieving our personal goals. Knowing the basics of home economics and personal finance will help you to optimise your money and be more efficient with your spending.

Set financial goals

Clearly define your short, medium and long-term financial objectives, setting realistic and achievable goals. Whether you want to save for an emergency, buy a house or pay for your children’s education, breaking down your financial goals into smaller, achievable steps will allow you to celebrate achievements as you go along.

Create a budget

Write down how much money you earn each month and how much you spend in an Excel spreadsheet, diary or personal finance application to create a budget tailored to your situation. This budget should include income such as wages, investments, state benefits and fixed expenses such as rent/mortgage, credit, food and other non-essential expenses such as eating out, holidays and savings.

Pay bills on time

Ensure you are up-to-date with your bill payments by setting up a direct debit, i.e., authorising your bank to automatically debit your current account regularly and recurrently for the services you use: water, electricity, gas, mobile phone, etc. You can also use bill payment applications and set up payment reminders by email or SMS.

Prioritise debt repayment

Less debt means more funds available for unforeseen expenses and more emotional well-being. Prioritise repayment of debts with higher interest rates, and consider possible debt consolidation to reduce interest.

Save regularly

Establish an automatic savings routine with a reverse budgeting strategy, which involves choosing a savings goal, such as paying for school fees, deciding how much you want to contribute each month and setting this amount aside before spreading out the rest of your expenses. Of course, you don’t have to set a goal, but having a purpose can always motivate you to make the effort if none other than for an emergency fund.

11Onze is always by your side

Empowering citizens through financial education has been at the heart of 11Onze since its inception. Expanding our community’s knowledge of economics and finance, making all the necessary tools available to them, is one of the founding pillars of the first community fintech in Catalonia.

Since the launch of 11Onze Escola, a project that offers training sessions on the world of fintech so that schools, companies and professional associations throughout the country can teach their students the basics of economics and financial matters, we have a unique platform that complements the school curriculum by educating young people in monetary matters and provides them with tools for the creation of wealth.

With the same purpose of training our community, we promote the lessons in the Learning section, which offers content such as the series El Diner, the Formacions 11Onze made by the employees themselves or our short Courses. In addition, in the Descobreix section of 11Onze TV you will also find pieces by our agents on topics of interest for our day-to-day work. Because from the very beginning it was clear to us that without a good financial education, we will hardly be a free society that can decide its future.

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