Uncontrolled heat exchanges

CONTEXT

This section covers uncontrolled heat exchanges as a housing improvement factor due to their health consequences. Heat exchanges may be from inside to outside or vice versa and be losses or gains.

Uncontrolled heat exchanges in homes have health repercussions, regardless of whether they can be assumed by the cohabitation unit residing in the home or not. If they can be assumed, there is an increase in energy consumption and consequently an increase in the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere (see "Sources of Environmental Risk"), which has repercussions for public health. It also has an economic cost for the home, due to the high demand for heating and cooling. If the increase in consumption cannot be assumed because the residents cannot pay their utility bills, energy poverty situations may be triggered (see "Energy Poverty").

The main problems generated by uncontrolled heat exchanges in homes are the presence of unfavourable temperatures and damp in the home (see 5.4.3 Damp), which is directly related to respiratory diseases, nervous system diseases, sleep, nasal obstructions, watery eyes, and dermatitis. Additionally, the impossibility of maintaining the home in suitable conditions may generate a sensation of anxiety that if maintained over time may have psychological effects. Also the accumulation of debt due to the non-payment of bills may cause anxiety in people that could lead to chronic conditions like depression or high blood pressure.

At the same time it is necessary to control the level of energy consumption, given that we are in a social environment that requires a high level of comfort in our homes and the cost of energy is on the increase. The costs that society pays to receive energy supplies, especially electricity and gas, are increasing and are expected to continue increasing in the coming years. But there is increasingly affordable technology to generate energy, especially that related to renewable energies. The case of photovoltaic energy is an example, as every year it is cheaper and a new historic minimum is achieved.

This problem is especially prevalent in poorly insulated homes, with inefficient windows, with a high level of infiltrations or old thermal installations.

OBJECTIVE

Control heat exchanges to:
- Reduce the effects of heat waves and cold snaps on vulnerable populations and those whose poor health may be exacerbated by these effects, achieving suitable climate control inside the home.
- Consume less energy and consequently reduce the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere.
- Prevent energy poverty.
Increase energy efficiency in the home.

PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Proposals and recommendations for users

The incorporation or improvement of thermal insulation is undoubtedly the best way to achieve a more substantial improvement at a reasonable cost, which is amortised very quickly. It is preferable to install insulation in the exterior of the building envelope, mainly on facades and roofs, given that it takes advantage of thermal inertia. But given the difficulty of these interventions, which must be done jointly by all the owners, although it is a less efficient action, it is also possible to improve the insulation of each individual apartment, covering the walls and ceilings in the interior.
The materials to be used for insulation should preferably be organic or mineral, given that they are breathable and enable the removal of condensation. In this case, the materials are cork, flax, hemp, wood fibres, wool or cotton blankets, or cotton, cellulose or mineral (glass or rock) wool flakes.
Replace any woodwork, glass, windows and doors that do not guarantee an air barrier. These are points where a lot of energy is lost: they need to be adjusted properly to guarantee the airtightness of the home. Guarantee that both the woodwork and the glass are insulated, that the woodwork closes the thermal bridge if it is aluminium and calculate its transmittance and airtightness separately. In the case of glass it is advisable to have double glazing with noble gases, like argon, and laminated glass. Glass with a chamber that does not contain SF6 (sulphur hexafluoride) should be chosen.
Incorporation of a green roof. This mechanism makes it possible to:
- Improve the insulation of the building or home and its thermal inertia.
- Facilitate the absorption of CO2 from the environment and of dust particles and contaminants from the atmosphere, generating cleaner air.
- Moderate heat island effects.
The control of direct sunlight according to orientation and time of year can help prevent overheating when the weather is hot and provide heat energy when it is cold. It is advisable to:
- Use high-reflectivity coatings such as a white surface or tiles, which reflect the majority of solar radiation. In contrast, a surface with a dark finish absorbs the majority of it.
- Use awnings, shutters and blinds to help protect against sunlight or let it through, as necessary, through openings like windows or skylights, casting shadows on the exterior, which can be additionally taken advantage of with ventilation with fresher air.
Protection against dazzling. In addition to the protections indicated to reduce sunlight there are also solar protections based on fabrics that block 90–99% of UV rays and reduce dazzling.
Incorporation of efficient habits, such as good maintenance of all the elements of the home, and using equipment and systems that take advantage of renewable energy.
Correct ventilation.
Correct protection against solar radiation.

Proposals and recommendations for the administration

Councils can detect the most significant shortfalls by means of various tools like building technical reports (ITEs) and energy efficiency certificates, among others, and propose the most suitable intervention. Some of the actions that they can implement are:

Public education or awareness campaigns that take into account the prevention of uncontrolled heat exchanges and foster housing maintenance.
Mediation to enable agreements to start renovation processes with these objectives.
Assessment and support to make it easier for cohabitation units to access renovation aid (both that offered by the Catalan Housing Agency and that provided by local administrations).
Establishment of municipal aid for renovation that incorporates solutions to meet these problems: incorporation of insulation inside the home, replacing windows…
Energy-efficiency saving and improvement programmes
- Public awareness and empowerment in terms of energy saving, both with regard to the use of energy and the understanding of electricity bills, in order to reduce energy spending and the associated CO2 emissions.
- Programme to determine the conditions of the housing in the municipal area.
- Energy audits.
- Aid associated with the audits to improve the energy efficiency of homes.

When designing the programmes it is necessary to take into account that part of the oldest housing is occupied by the elderly. These people are especially vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, often have few resources and it is often difficult to reach agreements within their owners associations.

REFERENCE EXPERIENCES

Information only available in Catalan

A Taradell, sobre la base del projecte RELS, ha desenvolupat un projecte que analitza com reduir la despesa energètica de les famílies i com a millorar el seu confort climàtic, ja que precarietat energètica problemes de salut amb alts costos sanitaris.
L’Ajuntament de Badia del Vallès, ha realitzat un estudi en el que analitza com afecten les patologies dels edificis a la salut dels veïns, i proposa actuacions per a millorar-la.
http://serranoserrat.com/study-of-relation-between-the-health-and-the-energetic-poverty
http://serranoserrat.com/energetic-rehabilitation-in-a-housing-block-in-badia-del-valles
Fundación La Casa que ahorra – Madrid. Fundació amb l´objectiu principal de sensibilitzar sobre la importància de la eficiència energètica en l´edificació i els beneficis per a l´estalvi econòmic i energètic, la protecció del medi ambient i la creació de treball. Edificación con Criterios de Eficiencia Energética. Fundación La Casa que Ahorra (audiovisual).
La Fàbrica del Sol. Ajuntament de Barcelona. Aquest equipament ofereix molts recursos i està emplaçat en un edifici que s’ha anat rehabilitant tenint en compte criteris d’eficiència energètica, fet que aprofita fent visible aquestes intervencions per fer pedagogia.
Banc d’energia, estalviar per compartir – Barcelona. El banc d’energia promou l’estalvi i l’eficiència energètica amb retorn solidari i rep aportacions econòmiques de donants (persones físiques particulars i jurídiques tant públiques com privades).
Programa Energy efficiency Standard for Social Housing – Escòcia. El programa te com objectiu millorar l´eficiència energètica dels habitatges socials, ajudant a reduir el consum d’energia, la pobresa de combustible i l´emissió de gasos amb efectes hivernacle.

LEGISLATION

Llei 24/2015, del 29 de juliol, de mesures urgents per a afrontar l'emergència en l'àmbit de l'habitatge i la pobresa energètica.
Llei 18/2007, de 28 de desembre, del dret a l'habitatge.
Decret 75/2014, de 27 de maig,del Pla per al dret a l'habitatge.
Real decreto 233/2013, de 5 de abril, pel qual es regula el Plan estatal de fomento del alquiler de viviendas, la rehabilitación edificatòria y la regeneración y renovación urbanas.
Ley 8/2013, de 26 de junio, de rehabilitació, regeneració i renovació urbanes
Decret 111/2009, de 14 de juliol, de modificació del Decret 21/2006, de 14 de febrer, pel qual es regula l'adopció de criteris ambientals i ecoeficiència en els edificis. DOGC núm. 5422, de 16.07.2009.
Decret 187/2010, de 23 de novembre, sobre la inspecció tècnica dels edificis d'habitatges.
Reial Decret 314/2006, de 17 de març, pel qual s'aprova el Codi Tècnic de l'Edificació. Annex DB-HE Ahorro energia.
Real Decreto 235/2013, de 5 de abril, por el que se aprueba el procedimiento básico para la certificación de la eficiencia energética de los edificios.
Disposició addicional de la Llei de Mesures Fiscals i Financeres, 22 de gener de 2014, es crea el Registre de certificats d'eficiència energètica en l'àmbit territorial de Catalunya.