Systems thinking in the built environment: Seeing the bigger picture, understanding the detail

Over the last 20 years, environmental sustainability in buildings, with its links to climate change concerns, low embodied carbon and sustainably sourced materials and energy efficiency, has grown from being a niche enterprise to a major driver of new business – a trend that Indoor and Built Environment has followed with interest. However, beyond this and with the rise of the wellbeing agenda, clients are now beginning to expect buildings to also contribute to the health and wellbeing of the people who live, work and learn inside them. This has created a new focus around the issues of healthy environments, wellbeing and increased productivity in addition to the low-carbon agenda. Therefore, with this added and important emphasis, how do we ensure that this will be more than an ephemeral trend and that in the future ‘business as usual’ will be truly both sustainable and healthy? Previous research on the impacts of energy-efficient design on the indoor environment has shown that there is the potential for numerous unintended consequences when decarbonising the built environment.1,2 How can we be certain that processes to ensure wellbeing in buildings will be positive, or do we have to accept that as with energy efficiency measures, multiple trade-offs (for example between emissions reduction and public health) will occur? This editorial argues that to ensure health and wellbeing co-benefits two changes need to occur: First, we need to move away from a purely reductionist and siloed rationale towards integrative whole systems thinking and action; second, in order to achieve this, we cannot remain closed inside our disciplinary boundaries and we need to learn how to traverse them

Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort: is all well with the Well Standard?

Cundall’s London office is the First WELL certificated building in Europe. Whether indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort satisfies occupants’ requirements and meets the WELL standard requires investigation. Based on ASHRAE Performance Measurement Protocols for Commercial Buildings (PMP), including indoor air quality monitoring combined with a Building Utilization Survey (BUS) based survey, this study investigates this question. Monitoring using Cundall’s sensors (IEQube) measuring temperature, relative humidity, light, CO2, PM2.5, PM10 and TVOC were combined with sensors from UCL to provide objective independent data for comparison. The BUS survey was conducted in the main open-plan office area to obtain the occupant’s perceptions of the environment. Monitoring results show IAQ is within the standard whilst results from the BUS questionnaire indicates most occupants are satisfied. Comments from the survey are useful to help continuing to improve the working environment

Impacts of energy efficiency retrofitting measures on indoor PM concentrations across different income groups in England: a modelling study

As part of an effort to reduce carbon emissions in the UK, policies encouraging the energy-efficient retrofit of domestic properties are being implemented. Typical retrofits, including installation of insulation and double glazing can cause tightening of the building envelope which may affect indoor air quality (IAQ) impacting occupant health. Using the example of PM (an airborne pollutant with known health impacts), this study considers the influence of energy-efficient retrofits on indoor PM concentrations in domestic properties both above and below the low-income threshold (LIT) for a range of tenancies across England. Simulations using EnergyPlus and its integrated Generic Contaminant model are employed to predict indoor PM exposures from both indoor and outdoor sources in building archetypes representative of (i) the existing housing stock and (ii) a retrofitted English housing stock. The exposures of occupants for buildings occupied by groups above and below the LIT are then estimated under current conditions and following retrofits. One-way ANOVA tests were applied to clarify results and investigate differences between the various income and tenure groups. Results indicate that all tenures below the LIT experience greater indoor PM concentrations than those above, suggesting possible social inequalities driven by housing, leading to consequences for health

Determinants of CO Exposure in the English Housing Stock: Modelling Current and Future Risks

This report investigates the current distribution of low-level CO concentrations in the English housing stock, and prevalence of dwellings exceeding recommended background exposure levels, using advanced modelling techniques informed by empirical data from a number of disparate sources. By bringing these sources of data together in the models, it is possible to produce new insights into the variation in background CO exposure across dwelling types and geographical location. The model also considers the impact on indoor domestic CO concentrations of the application of energy efficiency measures on the same stock. Although the health effects of long-term low-level CO exposure are still uncertain, this report provides evidence for further discussion and research. There are a number of assumptions listed within the main report, that drive the results. These should be taken into consideration when interpreting outcomes

Health effects of home energy efficiency interventions in England: a modelling study

Objective: To assess potential public health impacts of changes to indoor air quality and temperature due to energy efficiency retrofits in English dwellings to meet 2030 carbon reduction targets. Design: Health impact modelling study. Setting: England. Participants: English household population. Intervention: Three retrofit scenarios were modelled: (1) fabric and ventilation retrofits installed assuming building regulations are met. (2) As with scenario (1) but with additional ventilation for homes at risk of poor ventilation. (3) As with scenario (1) but with no additional ventilation to illustrate the potential risk of weak regulations and non-compliance. Main Outcome: Primary outcomes were changes in quality adjusted life years (QALYs) over 50 years from cardiorespiratory diseases, lung cancer, asthma and common mental disorders due to changes in indoor air pollutants, including: second-hand tobacco smoke, PM2.5 from indoor and outdoor sources, radon, mould, and indoor winter temperatures. Results: The modelling study estimates showed that scenario (1) resulted in positive effects on net mortality and morbidity of 2,241 (95% credible intervals (CI) 2,085 to 2,397) QALYs per 10,000 persons over 50 years due to improved temperatures and reduced exposure to indoor pollutants, despite an increase in exposure to outdoor–generated PM2.5. Scenario (2) resulted in a negative impact of -728 (95% CI -864 to -592) QALYs per 10,000 persons over 50 years due to an overall increase in indoor pollutant exposures. Scenario (3) resulted in -539 (95% CI -678 to -399) QALYs per 10,000 persons over 50 years due to an increase in indoor exposures despite targeting. Conclusions: If properly implemented alongside ventilation, energy efficiency retrofits in housing can improve health by reducing exposure to cold and air pollutants. Maximising the health benefits requires careful understanding of the balance of changes in pollutant exposures, highlighting the importance of ventilation to mitigate the risk of poor indoor air quality

Simulation of pollution transport in buildings: the importance of taking into account dynamic thermal effects

The recent introduction of the Generic Contaminant Model in EnergyPlus allows for the integrated modelling of multizone contaminant and dynamic thermal behaviour within a single simulation package. This article demonstrates how dynamic thermal simulation can modify pollutant transport within a building. PM2.5 infiltration from the external to internal environment under dynamic thermal conditions is compared in CONTAM, EnergyPlus 8.0, and Polluto, an in-house pollutant transport model developed in EnergyPlus 3.1. The influence of internal temperature on indoor PM2.5 levels is investigated by comparing results from standard CONTAM simulations and dynamic thermal EnergyPlus 8 simulations. Circumstances where the predictions of such models can diverge are identified

Increasing the intensity and comprehensiveness of aphasia services: identification of key factors influencing implementation across six countries

Background: Aphasia services are currently faced by increasing evidence for therapy of greater intensity and comprehensiveness. Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programs (ICAPs) combine these elements in an evidence-based, time-limited group program. The incorporation of new service delivery models in routine clinical practice is, however, likely to pose challenges for both the service provider and administering clinicians. This program of research aims to identify these challenges from the perspective of aphasia clinicians from six countries and will seek to trial potential solutions. Continual advancements in global communication technologies suggest that solutions will be easily shared and accessed across multiple countries. Aims: To identify the perceived and experienced barriers and facilitators to the implementation of 1) intensive aphasia services, 2) comprehensive aphasia services, and 3) ICAPs, from aphasia clinicians across six countries. Methods and procedures: A qualitative enquiry approach included data from six focus groups (n = 34 participants) in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), and Ireland. A thematic analysis of focus group data was informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Outcomes and results: Five prominent theoretical domains from the TDF influenced the implementation of all three aphasia service types across participating countries: environmental context and resources, beliefs about consequences, social/professional role and identity, skills, and knowledge. Four overarching themes assisted the identification and explanation of the key barriers and facilitators: 1. Collaboration, joint initiatives and partnerships, 2. Advocacy, the promotion of aphasia services and evidence-based practice, 3. Innovation, the ability to problem solve challenges, and 4. Culture, the influence of underlying values. Conclusions: The results of this study will inform the development of a theoretically informed intervention to improve health services’ adherence to aphasia best practice recommendations

Exposure to indoor air pollution across socio-economic groups: A review of the literature and a modelling methodology

Disparities in outdoor air pollution exposure between populations of different socio-economic status is a growing area of research, widely explored in environmental health literature. However, in developed countries, around 80% of time is spent indoors, meaning indoor air pollution may be a better proxy for personal exposure. Building characteristics and occupant behaviour mean indoor air pollution may also vary across socio-economic groups, leading to health inequalities. Following the results of a review carried out into indoor air pollution disparities, we incorporate socio-economic information into an indoor air quality model in order to evaluate exposure disparities in the indoor environment. The building physics tool EnergyPlus was used to model the effect of two policy interventions on indoor exposure to PM2.5 in two socio-economically different populations. Results suggest that households of low socio-economic status may be disproportionately affected by building and/or environmental policies which are implemented without consideration of the wider socio-economic processes governing the space

The Impact of a Living Wall on the Air Quality in a WELL Certified Office Meeting Room: A Pilot Study

Research of living walls conducted in real life settings is limited. Analysis of how systems works in occupied office settings, can provide information to help reduce energy used in ventilation. Active living walls may offer an alternative to a regular mechanical ventilation as it reduces the need to extract and filter fresh air. Indoor air quality (IAQ) in the meeting room was tested in various scenarios using calibrated monitoring instruments. Preliminary results indicate that using the active living wall as the main mode of ventilation in the meeting space, temperature, CO2, and particulate matter (PM) levels were all within industrial benchmark guidelines. With further studies, different plant types, weather conditions and room sizes providing more in-depth knowledge that can be used to perfect the system, the hope of a future involving the switch from a traditional mechanical ventilation system to this innovative system may be viable