Occupant satisfaction with indoor environmental quality and health after energy retrofits of multi-family buildings: Results from INSULAtE-project.

BACKGROUND: Driven by climate change mitigation, EU countries are committed to improve energy efficiency of their building stock by implementing the energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD). Should higher energy efficiency result in better indoor environmental quality (IEQ), this policy could also be seen as an opportunity to improve public health across Europe. OBJECTIVES: This paper focuses on the assessment of the effects of energy retrofits on occupant satisfaction with IEQ and health in multifamily buildings. METHODS: Data on occupant satisfaction with IEQ and health were collected from the occupants of 39 Finnish and 15 Lithuanian multifamily buildings (an average of five apartments per building, one adult per apartment) both before and after energy retrofits (such as improving thermal insulation, windows, heating and/or ventilation systems). Parallel to the data collected from the occupants, data on several IEQ parameters, including temperature, temperature factor, and air change rate, were collected from their apartments. Moreover, data from seven Finnish and five Lithuanian non-retrofitted control buildings were collected according to the same protocol. RESULTS: Occupant satisfaction regarding indoor temperature was associated with both retrofit status (OR 5.3, 95% CI 2.6-11.0) and measured IEQ parameters (indoor temperature OR 1.4 per 1 °C increase, temperature factor OR 1.1 per 1% increase, and air change rate OR 5.6 per 1/h increase). Additional positive associations were found between retrofit status and occupants reporting absence of upper respiratory symptoms (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.9) as well as not missing work or school due to respiratory infections (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.2-13.8), however, these associations were independent of the measured IEQ parameters. CONCLUSIONS: There seems to be a strong subjective component related to the observed changes in occupant satisfaction with IEQ and health as a result of energy retrofitting in buildings. Further studies are needed to verify the actual mechanisms, as well as possible long term effects.

Statistical associations between housing quality and health among Finnish households with children - Results from two (repeated) national surveys.

The overall aim of the study was to assess housing and health issues related to Finnish housing stock and possible changes occurring in the course of time. Based on two housing and health questionnaire surveys, first one in 2007 and the second one in 2011, we examined factors associated with housing satisfaction and health symptoms that residents themselves reported on a general population level. A special emphasis was on housing quality and health issues among households with children. The total number of survey responses was 2674, response rate being slightly lower in the 2011 (29%) survey than in 2007 (43%). Differences in housing and health issues observed between 2007 and 2011 surveys were relatively small. From the various housing factors studied, largest differences between surveys were seen in thermal comfort during summer, which could be attributed to climate factors. From the five health outcome variables studied, only self-reported upper respiratory symptoms appeared to have significant temporal variation between the surveys. Overall, issues related to crowding, inaccessibility, use of chemicals, indoor air quality (e.g. ventilation adequacy), and dampness and mold could cause more unsatisfactory housing conditions among the families with children. Respondents who had children reported respiratory symptoms less commonly, whereas risk for respiratory infections was increased among these respondents. Modeling self-reported health symptoms led to selection of nine to twelve statistically significant housing variables together with up to five socio-economic variables, i.e. complex models which are difficult to interpret quantitatively. The models' sensitivity for properly indicating symptoms was rather low, varying from 4% to 22%, which illustrates that it is quite impossible to predict individuals' symptoms with a set of housing characteristics. However, the associations observed on the population level may be used to develop policies that are protective of public health.

Assessment of indoor environmental quality in existing multi-family buildings in North-East Europe.

Sixteen existing multi-family buildings (94 apartments) in Finland and 20 (96 apartments) in Lithuania were investigated prior to their renovation in order to develop and test out a common protocol for the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) assessment, and to assess the potential for improving IEQ along with energy efficiency. Baseline data on buildings, as well as data on temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), radon, and microbial content in settled dust were collected from each apartment. In addition, questionnaire data regarding housing quality and health were collected from the occupants. The results indicated that most measured IEQ parameters were within recommended limits. However, different baselines in each country were observed especially for parameters related to thermal conditions and ventilation. Different baselines were also observed for the respondents' satisfaction with their residence and indoor air quality, as well as their behavior related to indoor environment. In this paper, we present some evidence for the potential in improving IEQ along with energy efficiency in the current building stock, followed by discussion of possible IEQ indicators and development of the assessment protocol.

Housing Satisfaction in Finland with Regard to Area, Dwelling Type and Tenure Status.

AIM: This study presents a comprehensive examination of housing satisfaction in Finland and how it associates with different types of residential area, dwelling and tenure status taking into account socio-demographic and socioeconomic variables. METHODS: Associations between housing satisfaction and types of residential area, dwelling and tenure status were analysed by multivariate logistic regression using questionnaire data from a random sample of Finnish households (response rate 44%, N=1,308). RESULTS: Respondents from rural areas and those living in houses were statistically significantly (p<0.05) more satisfied with indoor thermal conditions in summer than respondents living in city centres (OR 2.01) and apartments (OR 1.75), respectively. Homeowners were more satisfied with the dwelling (OR 3.19), indoor air quality (OR 1.73) and thermal conditions in winter (OR 2.63), and reported moisture or mould damage (OR 0.37) and neighbour noise disturbance (OR 0.60) less frequently than tenants. CONCLUSION: Based on this study, the most important factors determining differences in housing satisfaction were tenure status and type of the dwelling. In the context of housing policy development, these results warrant a special consideration of housing quality in rental apartments. The results can also be used for making comparative assessments (e.g. detecting areas of relative strengths or needing improvement) of multifamily buildings and residential areas.