Report sheds light on effect of dark ‘unhealthy’ homes
November 2019

Living, learning and working in unhealthy buildings, including dark and damp homes, adversely affect children and will cost UK £55.6 billion over the next 40 years, according to a report by Velux and the Rand research institute.

The findings are from the 2019 UK Healthy Homes Barometer report which adds that Children are particularly at risk, with 9,500 British children living in an unhealthy home who also have a serious illness.

The research also found that over 490,000 school days are lost in the UK each year due to illnesses associated with unhealthy housing.  Furthermore, several studies have found that improving indoor air quality in school buildings would mean increased productivity of 15%.

Neil Freshwater of Velux said: What is clear is that unhealthy buildings are having a negative impact on society, both in terms of wellbeing and life-expectancy, and in terms of lost productivity and cost to the NHS.

“It’s crucial that governments put healthy housing on the agenda, particularly when there is pressure on housing shortages, meaning a cross-department approach. Our seminar today brings together experts from a range of backgrounds including architecture, planning, design and local government to look at ways that we can work together to ensure our current and future buildings are maximising people’s health, wellbeing and productivity.”

https://www.velux.co.uk/hhb2019