Petsou, A;
Medina, HA;
Pender, R;
Hong, SM;
(2023)
Understanding current retrofit practices to prevent the unintended consequences affecting IEQ and health.
In:
Proceedings of the The 11th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation & Energy Conservation in Buildings (IAQVEC2023).
(pp. pp. 1-6).
EDP Sciences
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Abstract
The climate crisis demands an urgent societal shift, and the UK government has responded with a strong policy targeting energy retrofit to improve the energy performance of homes to achieve the net zero target by 2050. However, research has shown that standard retrofit measures have resulted in undesirable unintended consequences. Incorrect interventions such as using incompatible materials can affect the equilibrium of the building, increasing the risk of surface and interstitial condensation due to excessive humidity levels. Mould growth may develop under high levels of humidity, damaging the building fabric but also posing a risk to the occupants; it has been linked to asthma exacerbation and other respiratory infections. Therefore, what is needed is a well-integrated retrofit approach that not only reduces energy use but protects the building and the health and well-being of its occupants. This paper discusses the retrofit practices, the main challenges that retrofit practitioners face in the UK, and which guidance and tools they work with through the lens of the impact on occupants. A deeper understanding of the current practices is needed if those unintended consequences are to be avoided. For instance, replacing a 'fabric-first' mindset with a 'people-first' approach that considers more factors like the causes of thermal discomfort, and the gains to be made from passive and adaptive comfort approaches, could contribute to deliverer energy and carbon savings and increased building's indoor environment quality and usability justified.
| Type: | Proceedings paper |
|---|---|
| Title: | Understanding current retrofit practices to prevent the unintended consequences affecting IEQ and health |
| Event: | The 11th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation & Energy Conservation in Buildings (IAQVEC2023) |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1051/e3sconf/202339601087 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202339601087 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2023. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Bartlett School Env, Energy and Resources |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10177860 |
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