Healthy Homes & the Role of Refurbishment
Being invited to a working lunch at the House of Lords can not fail to give an invited guest like me a bit of a buzz. I am no exception to this odd feeling, that you have somehow “made it” when you get a chance to express your thoughts and beliefs with people who can or affect those who hold the levers of power.
How can buildings be made safer, healthy & energy efficient
The event hosted by the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) was held to debate and explore how buildings can be made safer and more healthy, while becoming more energy efficient. The challenges in achieving a carbon neutral United Kingdom within thirty years are only just being unravelled.
The scale of the task must not be underestimated!
The importance of understanding the effect and challenges associated with sealing up older buildings in order to improve energy efficiency were areas of recurring concern. Moisture, air quality and the importance of ventilation were not overlooked. It remains our own view that these legislators really don’t get the scale of the task that must be tackled. Nor have they really learned the lessons of the calamitous attempts at retrofitting large numbers of houses with insufficient funds that have plagued previous initiatives.
PCA members must be the authority
What is certain is that a great deal of energy will be directed at these challenges and that issues with dampness before, during and after retrofitting will continue to be a matter that will need to be considered and resolved. It seems clear that PCA members must establish themselves as the authority in this area and be ready to take up the challenge of keeping our housing stock dry, well ventilated and safe for occupation as the zero carbon revolution gathers pace.
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