Better insulation and ventilation in social housing means that children need less medication for asthma or allergies. This is the conclusion of a large-scale study involving two million people, monitored for 10 years by researchers from TU/e and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). It is the first study to show on a large scale that making homes more sustainable leads to health benefits. The researchers published their results on March 12 in The Lancet Public Health.
Researchers Roberdel, Ossokina, Arentze from TU/e and Van Ommeren from VU analyzed a large-scale renovation program of Dutch social housing between 2012 and 2021. These renovations, which included better insulation and ventilation, took place in phases. This enabled a reliable comparison between families in renovated and non-renovated homes.
Better air quality
The improved air quality in refurbished homes led to a four percent reduction in the number of children requiring asthma medication immediately after the renovation. After five years, that number rose to seven percent. Reducing moisture, mold, and dust mites is particularly important. In the Netherlands, one in 10 children has asthma. Better health in a child's early years reduces the risk of medical and social problems later.
Crucial role for housing
"Housing plays a crucial role in our health," says associate professor and research leader Ioulia Ossokina (TU/e, Built Environment). "Policymakers must explicitly take health effects into account when making decisions about energy and housing market policy," Ossokina argues.
Apart from respiratory complaints, the study found no effect of sustainability measures on other conditions. This was in line with expectations, given the mild and humid climate and the reasonably good home heating in the Netherlands.
Individual data of two million people
A large, anonymized database was built within the secure environment of Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Home renovation data was linked to residents' medication information. PhD candidate Vincent Roberdel (TU/e, Built Environment): "Without millions of pieces of linked individual data, we would not have been able to accurately determine the impact. Good data is essential for effective policy assessment." The research was made possible in part by support from NWO, RVO, and the Villum Foundations.
Follow-up research
Jos Van Ommeren (VU, School of Business and Economics) on the follow-up research: "An important follow-up question is where the money should be invested: renovating old social housing or building new homes?" The researchers are also working on a follow-up project examining the effects of housing quality on children's development before birth.
The research is part of the BEL program (Behavior Energy Transition Low Income) (2020-2026). Within this program, TU/e, VU, Erasmus University, Leiden University, housing associations Woonbedrijf, Elan Wonen, Pre Wonen, and Bazalt Wonen, and the Atriensis agency are collaborating.
