Search

This paper presents two tools for evaluation of the indoor environment in social housing, developed as part of the REBUS project. The main aim of the paper is to present the tool, a questionnaire for evaluation of tenants’ perceived problems and satisfaction with the indoor environment. Based on the experience gained from a previous study that applied a similar questionnaire, a procedure for evaluation of the perceived indoor environment in social housing before and after a renovation work is proposed. The procedure includes a questionnaire and a distribution procedure of the questionnaire to the tenants to ensure the highest possible response rate. The questionnaire is intended to be used before the renovation work to identify the initially most pronounced indoor environment problems, thus allowing for a targeted problem solving adding the most value for the tenants. After the renovation work the questionnaire may be applied to document whether the defined goals for the indoor environment have been reached. The usefulness as well as some challenges in applying a questionnaire is exemplified by the results of an evaluation of the perceived indoor environment of a renovated social housing settlement.

The purpose of the present study was, among other things, to evaluate how tenants perceived the indoor environment in renovated and energy-retrofitted social housing erected in the 1960s. Tenants answered a questionnaire to quantify problems and satisfaction with the indoor environment before and after the renovation work. A majority of tenants perceived the indoor environment improved for all parameters: temperature, draught, air quality, noise and daylight, after the renovation work. In particular, the tenants experienced fewer problems with too low temperature and draught during the winter, noise from outside and too little daylight. The evaluation shows that it is possible to achieve a win-win situation, with both energy savings and improved perceived indoor environment. The evaluation also reveals that careful attention is needed to avoid introducing annoying noise from new technical installations. The purpose of the present study was, among other things, to evaluate how tenants perceived the indoor environment in renovated and energy-retrofitted social housing erected in the 1960s. Tenants answered a questionnaire to quantify problems and satisfaction with the indoor environment before and after the renovation work. A majority of tenants perceived the indoor environment improved for all parameters: temperature, draught, air quality, noise and daylight, after the renovation work. In particular, the tenants experienced fewer problems with too low temperature and draught during the winter, noise from outside and too little daylight. The evaluation shows that it is possible to achieve a win-win situation, with both energy savings and improved perceived indoor environment. The evaluation also reveals that careful attention is needed to avoid introducing annoying noise from new technical installations.

The need for energy retrofitting of the Danish single-family houses is massive, especially for the high proportion of single-family houses built in the 1960s and 1970s. But even though the potential benefits are many, only few families embark on a major energy retrofit. There may be many reasons for this. An obvious one may be limited knowledge of non-energy benefits, e.g. in relation to the indoor climate. The objective of this study was to explain this limited effort to save energy by identifying barriers and incentives among house owners in relation to energy retrofitting of one’s own house. Moreover, it was investigated among house owners, who had carried out energy retrofitting, whether a number of factors, including the perceived indoor climate, became better or worse after retrofitting. A questionnaire survey was carried out among 1,990 house owners in a municipality north of Copenhagen. It was found that energy consumption and indoor climate are ever more in focus when buying a house and important drivers for house owners’ motivation for retrofitting their existing house. Energy retrofitting is complicated and it is also experienced as such by many house owners. There is uncertainty as regards choice of solutions, economic savings and financing. Nonetheless, most house owners, who have carried out energy retrofitting, have had a positive experience both in relation to energy consumption and perceived indoor climate, e.g. by more comfortable room temperature, less draught nuisances and less risk of mould growth. Hence a strategy to increase the number of house owners who embark on energy retrofitting of their house should include the communication of non-energy benefits like improved indoor climate. In addition, the strategy must include help for the house owners to overcome barriers by helping them find the retrofitting solutions appropriate for their house and their economy.

The need for renovation and energy retrofitting of Danish social housing from the 1960s and 1970s is substantial. Such energy retrofits often include the installation of mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery to fulfil the current standards for energy efficiency. These systems typically ensure a more constant and higher ventilation rate than previous systems. Therefore, there is potential for residents to perceive a higher air quality and a reduction in problems due to condensation on cold surfaces and mould growth after retrofits. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate if this potential is realised for residents in social housing complexes. A questionnaire survey was performed among residents in dwellings with ventilation categorised within one of the five ventilation principles: natural ventilation, bathroom fan, exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath, decentralized balanced mechanical ventilation and centralized balanced mechanical ventilation. Compared with residents without balanced mechanical ventilation, residents having such systems perceived less often problems with unpleasant odour from their own apartment and less visible mould, but more often perceived the air as dry. Residents with decentralized mechanical ventilation tended to experience more often problems with noise from their ventilation system. However, results show that nuisance are avoidable with correctly designed decentralized ventilation. The purpose of the present study was, among other things, to evaluate how tenants perceived the indoor environment in renovated and energy-retrofitted social housing erected in the 1960s. Tenants answered a questionnaire to quantify problems and satisfaction with the indoor environment before and after the renovation work. A majority of tenants perceived the indoor environment improved for all parameters: temperature, draught, air quality, noise and daylight, after the renovation work. In particular, the tenants experienced fewer problems with too low temperature and draught during the winter, noise from outside and too little daylight. The evaluation shows that it is possible to achieve a win-win situation, with both energy savings and improved perceived indoor environment. The evaluation also reveals that careful attention is needed to avoid introducing annoying noise from new technical installations.