IN2AIR: Participants

Welcome to In2Air

You have been invited to take part in the study as your home will be having retrofit works undertaken as part of energy efficiency upgrades organised by the city council. The study will explore how home energy efficiency modifications affect indoor air quality, energy use and your health and wellbeing.

Before deciding whether to participate, here is some information about the project and what you would be asked to do if you take part.

Why are we doing this study?

The UK Government has set challenging targets to reduce our production of greenhouse gases (the ‘net-zero’ challenge) as these gases cause the planet to warm and drive climate change. Homes play a large part in greenhouse gas emissions and in response, housing providers are making changes to homes to reduce household energy use. Local Authorities and private homeowners around the UK are adding extra insulation, reducing draughts and adding solar panels to make homes more energy efficient. We want to find out if these changes alter the amount of fresh air in the home or the health and wellbeing of residents.

We want to measure energy use, small inhalable particles, temperature, humidity and fresh air in our target households  before the energy efficiency building works are carried out. Technology is now available that we can do this with small, quiet monitors.

We want to measure energy use, small inhalable particles, temperature, humidity and fresh air in our target households  before the energy efficiency building works are carried out. Technology is now available that we can do this with small, quiet monitors.

MonitorCat

What will you be asked to do?

If you decide to take part in the study, your participation will involve the following:

  1. Placing a small, quiet, air quality monitor in your living room and another outside your home. The monitors will record the very small (inhalable) particles in air, ventilation, temperature and humidity in the room. The sensors will be left in place for at least 3 weeks, ideally longer, or until your retrofit works begin whichever is sooner.
  2. Allow the researcher to see your gas and electricity bills for the previous 12 months.
  3. Allow the researcher to read your gas and electricity meters at the start and end of your monitoring period.
  4. Help us complete a survey about your health and wellbeing and about your home and things that affect it like number of people, activities, ventilation, if you have damp problems and items in your home that may use lots of energy.

Who is organising this research?

The research is being undertaken by Northumbria University, Newcastle University and Newcastle City Council. The work is led by Professor Jane Entwistle and Dr Richard McNally. If you have any questions, you can contact Lindsay Bramwell or Jane Entwistle on 0191 2273768 or ee.in2air@northumbria.ac.uk.