Energy use in buildings is an important contribution to global CO2 emissions and contributes to global warming. In recent years, there has been concern about creating energy efficiency buildings, green buildings and healthy buildings but this development needs guidance by multidisciplinary scientists and experts. Since energy saving can influence the indoor environment in different ways, epidemiological research is needed in different climate zones to evaluate the health consequences of making the buildings more energy efficient. Epidemiological studies and modelling studies are available on health effects and indoor effects of energy conversation, improved thermal insulation, increased air tightness and creating green buildings. The health-related literature on this issue was reviewed, by searching scientific articles in the medical Database PubMed and in the general database Web of Science as well as Nature database. In this literature review, 53 relevant peer reviewed articles on health effects of energy use and energy saving were found. Most of the studies had investigated residential buildings. One main conclusion from the review is that combined energy efficiency improvements in buildings can be associated with improvement of general health, such as less asthma, allergies, sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms, respiratory symptoms, and reduced cold-related and heat-related mortality. Moreover, combined energy efficiency improvements can improve indoor air quality, increase productivity and satisfaction and reduce work leave and school absence. Effective heating of buildings can reduce respiratory symptoms and reduce work leave and school absence. However, some potential health problems can occur if increased energy efficiency will reduce ventilation flow. Energy saving by increasing air tightness or reducing ventilation is associated with impaired indoor air quality and negative health effects. In contrast, improved ventilation may reduce SBS, respiratory symptoms and increase indoor air quality. Installation of mechanical ventilation can solve the negative effects of making the building construction in dwellings more air tight. In future research, more studies are needed on health impacts of single energy efficiency improvement methods. Existing studies have mostly used a combination of improvement methods. In addition, modelling software programs should more often be used, since they can take into account effects of different energy efficiency improvement methods on indoor air quality in different types of buildings and in different climates.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:hig-30086 |
| Date | January 2019 |
| Creators | Wang, Chengju |
| Publisher | Högskolan i Gävle, Energisystem och byggnadsteknik |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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