Damp and dark homes impact health, says VELUX
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June 1, 2017
Roof window manufacturer VELUX has released a new report saying damp and dark homes across the UK are having a direct impact on the levels of serious health conditions being reported.
The VELUX Healthy Homes Barometer highlights a clear connection 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 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.
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 on account of their homes; and also the staggering financial costs to society of not bringing our aging housing stock up to par.”
Europeans living in an “unhealthy” building are more than 1.5 times (66%) more likely to report poor health, and 40% more likely to suffer from asthma, as those who do not.
One solution from VELUX is to modernise 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.
