Report reveals a 22% increase in damp and that 275,000 Irish citizens do not have sufficient daylight in their homes
Dublin, 20th June 2024—Healthy Homes Ireland, supported by the Irish Green Building Council and VELUX, today hosted a breakfast event in Dublin that unveiled research showing the scale of the impact of healthy homes on people’s mental and physical well-being.
The Healthy Buildings Barometer has been published annually by the VELUX group and its research partners since 2015 to take the pulse of the EU’s housing stock. This year’s research was undertaken by BPIE (Building Performance Institute Europe) and complements Healthy Homes Ireland’s report, which was published last year and made specific policy recommendations for Ireland.
Dr Caroline Düvier from BPIE delivered a thought-provoking presentation on the 2024 Barometer, zooming in on the Irish numbers from this Europe-wide publication and highlighting some concerning findings, including:
- The renovation rate required for Ireland is +2900%, whereas the EU needs to achieve +1400%.
- There has been a 22% increase in damp issues in Ireland.
- Around 275,000 citizens in Ireland do not have sufficient daylight in their homes – across the EU, the figure stands at 30 million citizens.
- 25% of Europeans live in buildings where the indoor air quality falls below national standards.
- On a positive note, there was a 13.5% decrease in CO2 emissions in Ireland from 2015 to 2020.
Speaking of the findings for Ireland, Dr Düvier stated: “The Barometer focuses on shaping a healthy, sustainable and resilient future. Ireland is far behind where we need to be, with nearly twice as many buildings requiring renovation compared to the EU overall. There are issues with an increase in damp and significant numbers of people in Ireland not getting enough daylight in their homes. This needs to be urgently addressed.”
Much work needs to be done in Ireland to make homes healthier. The panel discussions focused on areas of concern in Irish buildings and made recommendations that should be adopted to improve the health of homes and the people who live within them.
Dr Ola Løkken Nordrum, the Irish Doctors for the Environment representative, participated in a panel discussion at the event. He stated: “There is a clear link between health and housing. Our homes and where we live ought to be a source of health and well-being, but this is not the case for many people living in Ireland. Air and noise pollution, dampness, lack of nature and sunlight are just some of the issues we face. We need to increase awareness around this, but more importantly, we need to act on it. By making our homes and the environment around them healthier, we can live healthier lives.
We cannot overstate the benefits of improved IEQ in renovated buildings. The knock-on effects are notable. In terms of homes they can result in better mental and physical health and savings as high as 44% savings for families on heating alone. In workplaces and schools, better air quality and light increase productivity and performance. Taking schools as an example, quieter buildings that are less prone to overheating can foster a 2.3% increase in learning whereas performance can be improved by up to 18% by higher exposure to daylight.”
Kevin O’Rourke, Chair of Healthy Homes Ireland, called for urgent changes, saying: “There is lots of research, including in our own Towards Healthier Greener Homes report, which shows that the quality of the home you live in has a major impact on a person’s physical and mental well-being. But we think more must be done to make homes healthier and greener. There are immediate steps we can take now to ensure that everyone across Ireland is living in healthy homes. A focus and investment by the government on this now will improve people’s health and save money that would otherwise be spent on the health system.
He concluded, “The Healthy Homes Ireland recommendations are clear:
- There is a need for collaboration across the housing, construction, energy efficiency and public health sectors.
- We need a central leadership body to advocate for change and set joint goals.
- We must improve IEQ (Indoor Environmental Quality) skills of professionals entering the housing industry by including relevant modules in apprenticeships and third-level education.
- And there is a need to train AHBs (Approved Housing Bodies) and local authorities to maintain homes for better occupant health outcomes and communicate with tenants on how to improve IEQ in homes.”
As well as TDs and Senators, attendees at today’s Healthy Homes Ireland briefing included civil and public servants from relevant government departments and agencies, as well as industry leaders from housing, construction, engineering, architecture, public health, the environment and academia.
For more information about Healthy Homes Ireland and to read the full report Towards Healthier Greener Homes, visit here.
