Enhancing Indoor Air Quality in Public Housing: A Persistent Predicament
In the latest edition of Air Quality News Magazine, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) is making headlines for its commitment to improving the standards of social housing and indoor air quality.
Following the tragic incident of two-year-old Awaab Ishak's death due to excessive damp and mould in his Rochdale home in December 2020, RBH has taken significant strides to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Gareth Swarbrick, the former Interim Chief Executive of RBH, was sacked last November. His replacement, Yvonne Arrowsmith, has been tasked with turning the organization around. Arrowsmith is joined by Kevin Brady, the new Chair of the RBH board, who aims to rebuild trust with tenants, communities, and partner organizations.
RBH has implemented a new recovery plan with a focus on prioritizing tenant needs and frequent monitoring of properties by a damp and mould taskforce. In addition, the housing provider plans to invest an additional £45 million into existing properties over the next five years and £1.2 million on improving ventilation at the Freehold estate.
In a bid to combat damp and mould issues, RBH is also collaborating with Aico|HomeLINK, a company that has developed advanced sensor technologies and smart home systems. Chris Jones, Chief Executive for Aico|HomeLINK, has launched a technology platform to monitor damp and mould issues in properties.
Aico's sensors can detect potential damp and mould issues in properties and predict the underlying causes with their algorithm, SVE. These sensors are designed to provide continuous insight monitoring, which Chris Jones believes is more cost-effective than frequent stock condition surveys.
Aico offers their sensors to landlords at a discounted price, and the subscription fee for a sensor is approximately four pounds a year. The company aims to continue supporting social landlords in tackling the damp and mould issue, with their biggest goal being to improve living conditions for those in social housing.
England's Regulator of Social Housing has stated that up to 160,000 social homes in the country have notable damp and mould problems, and 8,000 have severe problems posing a serious health risk. The government has responded with a new guideline known as "Awaab's Law," which aims to improve living conditions for those in social housing.
Local authorities and housing organisations have also started to better insulate properties to reduce energy bills and CO2 emissions since 2021. This initiative, coupled with the advancements in technology like those offered by Aico, offers a promising future for improving the quality of social housing in the UK.
Matt Brown and michael schaffler are the photographers credited for the images in the article.
This article serves as a testament to RBH's dedication to improving the living conditions of its tenants and the wider community. With the implementation of new strategies, staff, and technology, RBH is working towards a future where social housing is safe, healthy, and comfortable for all.
