thought process. While use of EBD techniques would not necessarily make an environment a healing one, through EBD we can define environmental factors that can help to ease stress and thereby result in a healing environment. Malkin emphasizes the contribution of research to concepts that can create a healing environment, but just the inclusion do not make setting a 'healing environment'. The design team needs to translate the EBD into design solutions unique to the individual hospital. According to "The Business Case for Creating a Healing Environment" written by Jain Malkin, the physical setting has the potential to be therapeutic if it achieves the following: eliminates environmental stressors such as noise, glare, lack of privacy and poor air quality; connects patients to nature with views to the outdoors, interior gardens, aquariums, water elements, etc.; offers options and choices to enhance feelings of being in control - these may include privacy versus socialization, lighting levels, type of music, seating options, quiet versus 'active' waiting areas; provides opportunities for social support - seating arrangements that provide privacy for family groupings, accommodation for family members or friends in treatment setting; sleep-over accommodation in patient rooms; provides positive distractions such as interactive art, fireplaces, aquariums, Internet connection, music, access to special video programmes with soothing images of nature accompanied by music developed specifically for the healthcare setting; and engenders feelings of peace, hope, reflection and spiritual connection and provides opportunities for relaxation, education, humour and whimsy. Bringing home to the hospital The most important thing for inpatients at hospitals is the comfort and normalcy of having family members and friends that visit and spend time with them. With advances in healthcare most patients are treated in an outpatient setting, where they come in have a procedure or test run and then go back to their homes. Today's inpatients are more likely to have a serious condition and be there for a period of at least several days and sometimes even months. This explains the growing trend of creating healthcare environments that make not only the patient, but also their loved ones feel like they can relax and maybe even forget that they're at the hospital. It is proven that if someone feels comfortable and relaxed, they can rest easier and heal faster. Importance of lighting and sound Lighting Eighty percent of what we interpret of our surroundings comes to us from what we see