Clearview National July 2017 - Issue 188 | Page 59

CONSERVATORIES&ROOFS
UK’S DARK HOMES
CONTRIBUTING
TO ILL-HEALTH
» » DAMP AND DARK
homes across the UK are having
a direct impact on the levels
of serious health conditions
being reported, per a new
report by leading roof window
manufacturer VELUX®.
This VELUX Healthy
Homes Barometer highlights a
clear correlation between poor
housing stock and ill-health
in all countries across Europe.
UK residents living in dark
homes are revealed to be 27%
more likely to report poor
health conditions including
asthma and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. In addition,
people living in unhealthy
buildings in the UK with
damp are 34% more likely
to be suffering from health
conditions.
Across Europe, one in six
households are currently living
in an “unhealthy” (meaning
damp or mouldy) building,
increasing their chances of
illness by 66%.
The VELUX Healthy Homes
Barometer examines the effects
of housing on the health of
people living in countries
across Europe, along with the
associated costs to society and
ways to tackle the problem.
VELUX is calling for
buildings to become more
energy efficient and for the UK’s
housing stock to be brought up
to par.
Grant Sneddon, Product
Manager at VELUX-GBI
said: “We know instinctively
that living in unhealthy
surroundings is bad for our
health. This study reveals to
just what extent those in the
UK and Europe are suffering
because their homes; and also,
the staggering financial costs
to society of not bringing our
aging housing stock up to
par.”
The costs of unhealthy
buildings are not just felt by
individuals either. The overall
(direct and indirect) costs to
European governments and
societies of just two of the
many diseases associated with
damp living environments –
asthma and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease – reach a
staggering EUR 82 billion per
year.
One solution is to modernize
Europe’s existing buildings
through energy efficient and
healthy renovations. This would
not only lead to improved
health outcomes, lower societal
costs and reduced CO2
emissions, but would also
provide a much-needed catalyst
to European economies.
For the first time, using
data from the European
Commission’s vast Eurostat
Database, the analysis
provides new evidence on the
relationship between housing
and health.
The full report can be accessed
by visiting http://www.velux.
com/health/healthy-homes-
barometer-2017
C L E A RV I E W-U K . C O M » J U L 2017 » 59