Analysis: Researchers are developing a sensor that can be installed in social houses to monitor air quality and help prevent mould
Recent incidents at the Oliver Bond House in Dublin and Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) in the UK have highlighted the serious health risks when exposed to mould in homes. These incidents have underscored a crucial lesson for the Irish housing sector - residents should not be held accountable for mould, dampness, condensation, and cold in their homes.
Tragically, a two-year-old boy living in an RBH property died in 2020 due to mould exposure. In 2021, a study found that 83% of Oliver Bond Housing residents are living with mould and dampness. A study conducted by Trinity College in 2024 revealed that the odds of developing asthma for these residents are 2.4 times higher compared to non-residents. Furthermore, a 2011 mould analysis in Dolphin House in Dublin found the presence of toxic mould species, posing a significant risk to residents, particularly those with weak immune systems.
One thing that all these social housing properties have in common is that these properties are still inhabited, wherein residents are living in poor conditions and exposed to risky health elements. Despite promises of regeneration plans for Oliver Bond and Dolphin House, the restoration works have been notably slow. Even with residents' self-initiatives to address mould, such as cleaning, applying anti-mould paint, and seeking professional services, the problem persists.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's News At One, new TCD report finds increased respiratory illness among Oliver Bond flats' residents
The relationship between environmental sustainability and mould
Before the death incident in Rochdale, UK, one frequent practice among Approved Housing Bodies (AHB) in Ireland in dealing with mould was advising tenants to clean these with black mould remover and apply anti-mould paint, along with behavioural changes like continuous ventilation and avoiding drying clothes indoors. While other factors preventing tenants from properly ventilating and insulating their homes are identified, such as high energy costs and non-energy efficient homes, the AHB sector is now more than aware that addressing issues in structural integrity and remedying latent defects of their properties are the best approaches to fix the problem.
Our research has shown a growing understanding within the housing sector that tenants' household behaviours are not significant contributors to persistent mould problems, contrary to previous beliefs.
To address these challenges, the housing sector is focusing on making all housing infrastructure in Ireland environmentally sustainable. An environmentally sustainable residence in Ireland is described as energy-efficient with a high energy rating standard, resulting in reduced energy consumption and carbon footprint. This presents various benefits for tenants, such as lower energy bills, warmer homes, and a reduced risk of developing harmful pollutants like mould.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, report on mould in council-owned properties
The current actions being done by AHBs and Local Authorities (LA) are the following:
- Deep energy retrofit – As a response to the government’s National Retrofit Plan, AHBs and LAs are set to upgrade 500,000 existing homes to B2 Building Energy Rating (BER) standards and install 400,000 heat pumps by 2030. A B2 house means living in a warmer home, with lesser fuel poverty incidence, due to upgraded insulation, smart heating controls, and renewable energy systems.
- Net-Zero Homes (Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standards) – Newly built homes should be constructed under nZEB standards. The improved facilities in an nZEB house will guarantee a healthy indoor air quality environment by balancing the heating and cooling state in the property, which are essential in preventing high moisture levels, mould build-up, and developing respiratory problems. Renewable energy, such as solar panels, geothermal heat pumps and a built-in floor heating system, will be the household’s energy source, ensuring high-quality insulation and ventilation.
- The transition from reactive to proactive maintenance – The usual repair response protocol by AHBs is to respond to household issues once tenants bring this to their attention. AHBs have various categorisations in place, wherein problems are prioritised according to the level of importance. This often leads to a longer response time by the AHB. Our research discovered that AHBs are aware of the challenges in their response management system. The Housing Sector and recent studies are showing that it is much more cost-efficient and much better at managing housing stocks if a preventative management approach is implemented. This means that landlords will put a system in place to detect and solve problems before they come up. This proactive approach is also heavily focused on installing technological tools and preventing indoor pollutants from building up, such as moulds.
A citizen’s responsibility for environmental sustainability
To lead Ireland towards a sustainable future, it's essential for all stakeholders to collaborate, including Irish residents. The housing sector is actively seeking innovative technologies to ensure the longevity of upgraded homes. For instance, smart heating control systems can automatically adjust tenants’ heating and hot water schedules to reduce energy waste and energy consumption in households by 20%.
Our research also determined that several AHBs and LAs have successfully upgraded a few of their stocks to B2 standards and have installed advanced technology, such as heat pumps. However, one of the consistent problems observed after installation is the lack of information among tenants regarding the proper use and maintenance of these tools. Many of these tools require minimal human intervention and are best left untouched. However, due to habits, tenants tend to unnecessarily interact with them, switching them on and off, or pressing buttons, potentially leading to issues like malfunctioning.
Read more: Why urban regeneration projects need proper input from citizens
This problem may stem from landlords’ shortfall in providing post-installation information to tenants. Housing experts believe providing tenants thorough training and clear instructions for using modern technologies in B2 and net-zero houses is crucial for maintaining healthy and environmentally sustainable homes. It is also best to inform tenants that housing maintenance using these technologies can potentially prevent mould build-up in their homes once and for all.
Different social housing and environmental research studies in the country, such as our project, SHINE, aims to contribute to environmental sustainability in Irish social housing promoting resilient housing conditions that can withstand climate change impacts and a healthy indoor environment for future generations. SHINE is working on the development of an environmental sensor that can be installed in social houses to enable tenants to maintain their indoor air quality at a healthy level. The project also aims to augment household upkeep, by helping them understand the environmental data in their properties in real-time, in a non-technical and jargon-free manner.
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From RTÉ News, Dolphin House residents say conditions violating human rights
Our discussion with stakeholders shows that empowering tenants is very important to deliver environmental sustainability practices in homes effectively. Hence, the project is committed to developing a product that centralises the users’ home experience for a more personalised understanding of their properties’ level of environmental sustainability. The sensor, with an integrated home screen dashboard[TI1], will see all this information in real-time, with the added control of gatekeeping their data. This means that tenants have the power to decide whether they would like to share their data with third parties or not. These sensors would also be free for the tenants. Once a working sensor is developed, the project’s next phase is to collaborate with AHBs to test the sensor in their tenants’ homes.
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The SHINE project is hosted by DCU, recipient of the SFI National Challenge Fund, established under the government's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, and coordinated and administered by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland. Clúid Housing is SHINE’s Societal Impact Champion.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
