Energy efficiency, health and society

Have you ever wondered if there is any connection between the buildings we live in and the quality of life? Read in the following lines a summary of research carried out by several international organizations that demonstrate the impact of construction on human life.

Ensuring a healthy life

We spend a large part of our existence in office buildings, in schools, public institutions or at home where our activity, even the professional one, is increasingly concentrated, considering that more and more people work from home.

Two major considerations for meeting the Passive House standard are health and well-being. Users of passive buildings benefit from high thermal comfort and high air quality.(2)

The opaque envelope and mechanical ventilation of the building play a crucial role in ensuring a healthy ambient environment. Faulty design and the use of construction materials not suitable for the passive house standard lead to the development of mold and moisture, which amplifies health problems, which is why it is recommended to implement mechanical ventilation in passive houses. This constantly supplies the space with fresh air from the outside, filtering pollutants and reducing the rate of respiratory problems [Rosemeier/ Brimblecombe 2017].

Schools, offices and other commercial buildings built to the passive house standard benefit from no drafts and low carbon dioxide levels (due to the fresh air supply, which has been shown to support student concentration). (3)

Health, environment and proper air conditioning of homes

Reducing carbon emissions is a key priority for the EU. In 2016, the European Commission noted that around half of the European Union`s final energy consumption was for heating and cooling buildings, of which 45% was attributed to the residential sector. EU statistics show that greenhouse gas emissions from private households are around 900,000,000 tonnes per year, and in 2012 75% of energy used for heating and cooling was produced from gas, coal, oil or other fuels fossils.

Energy poverty and carbon emissions need to be tackled together because they have a common cause: the energy inefficiency of housing (4)

There is also an association between cold and wet homes and Excess Winter Deaths (EDI). The Excess Winter Death Index (EDI), which compares the number of deaths occurring between December and March with other times of the year, shows that historical levels of EDI vary considerably across Member States, ranging from an average of 8.2 % in Slovakia to 29.4% in Malta (based on an analysis of 30 European countries between 1980 and 2013). The latest available EU statistics from 2014 on EDI also show wide variation, ranging from below 5% in Slovakia and Finland to over 20% in southern Member States such as Cyprus, Portugal and Malta (see see figure five below).

Respiratory illnesses have been linked to living in a cold, damp house.

Inhaling cold air tightens the airways and is linked to increased mucus production. In turn, this can irritate the bronchial lining of the respiratory tract and therefore reduce resistance to infection,

which can lead to pneumonia in asthma and COPD patients. That will often lead to hospitalization and is associated with a higher risk of death. Cold temperatures also suppress the immune system in other ways, increasing the risk of infection and the risk of developing colds and flu.

There is a strong correlation between energy poverty and deaths from heart disease. Cold temperatures can increase blood pressure by constricting blood vessels, increasing the risk of blood clots, heart attacks and strokes due to the extreme pressure placed on the heart. In addition, blood viscosity and fibrinogen levels increase at low temperatures, increasing the risk of thrombosis and stroke.

Especially in warmer Member States, although increasingly throughout Europe, inadequate air conditioning is associated with negative health effects, especially in densely populated cities. Lack of adequate air conditioning systems can lead to heat stress, excess hospitalizations and deaths during heat waves.

The combination of excess heat and inadequate cooling systems can it also leads to high blood pressure, heart attacks, dehydration, kidney failure, increased insomnia, and sleep disturbances.(6)