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Background: As the global demographic shifts towards an ageing population, the significance of the built environment in facilitating ageing in place gains prominence. This study addresses the critical question of how a built environment can support older adults' independence and enhance their quality of life. Method: Utilising a systematic review of review papers, this research scrutinises existing literature to uncover the influence of urban planning, physical accessibility, and residential design on the older people's physical and mental well-being. More specially, the study methodically examines existing review articles that span various aspects of the built environment related to ageing in place. Results: The analysis reveals that specific elements of the built environment, notably rational urban planning and accessible urban spaces, as well as adaptable housing designs, significantly impact ageing individuals' health, social engagement, and overall satisfaction with life. It also identifies contradictions in the effects of environmental features on cognitive health and well-being, underscoring areas that warrant further exploration. Conclusions: The study concludes that thoughtful urban and housing designs are pivotal in creating age-friendly environments that support ageing in place. It emphasises the need for future research and policy development aimed at enhancing the living conditions of older adults within their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies explore persistent building-related symptoms in a residential context. Additionally, a growing body of literature suggests symptoms related to indoor building dampness and mould (D/M) may present as a broader set of symptoms than previously thought. In this study, we performed deductive and inductive qualitative content analysis, using a Long COVID-19 symptom category framework, to analyse first person responses to open-ended symptom questions from an online survey. This study describes 154 residential occupants' self-reported symptomatic experiences, at the onset of symptoms perceived to be related to living with indoor D/M. The majority of occupants experienced 3 or more D/M indicators and reported multiple concurrent symptoms that came on gradually and persisted for 1 year or more, significantly impacting quality of life. Neuropsychiatric symptoms, led by brain fog, headaches, sleep issues and memory loss, were the most prevalent symptom category, however new categories emerged for hypersensitivities, increased occurrence of infections and asthma-related symptoms. Occupants with short-term (1–30 days) and long-term (2 years or more) experience of living with D/M conditions reported long-lasting symptoms. In conclusion, in providing deeper insights into the symptomatic experiences of occupants, this study highlights the need for a framework that encompasses the breadth of symptoms and their system categories. It also provides a nuanced understanding of the characteristics of symptom onset and prevalence. • Perceived onset symptoms in damp housing exceed common building-related symptoms (BRS). • Symptoms experienced persist for months to years, regardless of length of time exposed. • Long COVID-19 symptom category framework could be expanded for future BRS application. • New categories emerged for hypersensitivities and increased occurrence of infections. • Our study has new implications for the breath of symptoms reported in damp housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to evaluate the role of residential battery storage in addressing network barriers to the further adoption of household photovoltaics, by presenting a unique perspective combining a housing and network techno-economic evaluation. Stochasticity in demand and weather inputs are modelled using Monte Carlo and a power flow model is constructed of a test area of the low-voltage (LV) network. Findings include: that batteries address voltage drop issues on LV networks at photovoltaic penetration rates of 50% and over and can mitigate voltage rise issues at PV penetration rates up to 75%. Economically, under Queensland conditions, household gains are marginal with optimal results provided by charging batteries from photovoltaic generation only and a minimum array size of 5 kW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]