HOPE was a collaborative European project, which aimed to demonstrate that energy efficient buildings can be both healthy and comfortable for their occupants. Buildings (both domestic and non-domestic) in EU are responsible for approximately 40% of the primary energy use. This makes buildings the largest 'energy-using-sector' in the Union. From the energy point of view, one can reduce consumption: by using building products that are sustainable (e.g. have little embodied energy), by designing and constructing buildings that use as little energy as possible. From the perspective of the occupant of a building, the ideal situation is an indoor environment that satisfies all occupants (i.e. they have no complaints) and does not unnecessarily increase the risk or severity of illness or injury. It becomes clear that there may be a potential conflict between strategies to reduce energy use and to create healthy buildings. The final goal of the project is to provide the means to increase the number of energy efficient buildings that are at the same time healthy, thus decreasing the energy use by buildings and consequently resulting in a reduction of CO2 emission from primary energy used for ventilation.
Buildings (both domestic and non-domestic) in EU are responsible for approximately 40% of the primary energy use. This makes buildings the largest 'energy-using-sector' in the Union. From the energy point of view, one can reduce consumption: by using building products that are sustainable (e.g. have little embodied energy), by designing and constructing buildings that use as little energy as possible with respect to heating, cooling, ventilation, etc. and by maintaining and operating buildings without wasting energy.
From the perspective of the occupant of a building, the ideal situation is an indoor environment that satisfies all occupants (i.e. they have no complaints) and does not unnecessarily increase the risk or severity of illness or injury. According to the European Directive 89/106/EWG "Construction work must be designed and built in such a way that it will not be a threat to the hygiene or health of the occupants or neighbours". According to the WHO "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". An unhealthy indoor environment will lead to a decrease in productivity of employees and will lead to an increase in sick leave. The problem we are confronted with now is that the health situation of occupants is far from the ideal situation. One can create a healthier indoor environment by source control (i.e. reducing the emissions of indoor pollution sources), by ventilation (removing or diluting pollutants i.e. reducing the exposure to pollution sources) and by maintaining comfortable physical conditions (e.g. temperature, humidity and light).
It becomes clear that there may be a potential conflict between strategies to reduce energy use and to create healthy buildings. For example, a particular material/product might have a low embodied energy but cause unhealthy emissions, or the ventilation rate may be reduced to save energy but the level of pollutant concentrations may increase above a certain threshold and increase exposure. While there is a strong logic to improving energy performance by attention to healthy indoor environments, more needs to be done to realise the potential. Action needs to be directed at both improving guidance on how to realise the potential, and making a convincing case for the building industry to make changes. This project contributes to both, by providing guidance that is technically sound, while being linked with easily understood examples of good design.
To be able to reach the commitment by the European Commission in the context of the Kyoto agreement of 8% reduction of CO2 and other greenhouse gases emission by the year 2008-2012, it is certainly important to tackle all opportunities of rational use of energy in buildings. The underlying proposal brings the additional advantage of promoting "healthy" indoor environments, which is where most European people spend more than 90% of their lives.
The final goal of the project is to provide the means to increase the number of energy efficient buildings that are at the same time healthy, thus decreasing the energy use by buildings and consequently resulting in a reduction of CO2 emission from primary energy used for ventilation.
Acronym of the case
HOPE
Author(s) information
Name
Henrik N. Knudsen,
Address
Energy and Environment, Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg University, Dr. Neergaards Vej 15, DK-2970 Horsholm, www.sbi.dk Direct phone: +45 9940 2394
Email
Lessons learnt
The questions to which answers have been sought within the framework of the HOPE project were:
- What is a healthy building and what is an energy-efficient building?
- What is an energy-efficient healthy building?
- Are buildings with energy saving measures energy-efficient? And what is the health status of buildings with energy saving measures as compared to buildings without energy saving measures?
- How can we assure that buildings are healthy and energy-efficient at the same time?
- Healthy and comfortable buildings do not necessarily require much energy, and can have a limited impact on the environment. Smart managers, architects and engineers construct and operate buildings in a way that both good indoor environment and low energy consumption can be achieved. Good design is essential to achieve these objectives. By contrast, expensive measures to improve the indoor environment are sometimes counterproductive: even when technical requirements (temperature, air flow rates, etc.) are met, occupants do not feel well.
For more details on Performance Criteria, the Multidisciplinary field study in 164 buildings and Protocol for building Evaluation, see: http://hope.epfl.ch/results/results-intro.htm
Award labels
Available link languages
Topic
Start date - End date
Dienstag, 1 Januar, 2002 bis Samstag, 1 Januar, 2005
Operational date
Samstag, 1 Januar, 2005
Comment
References
Chrit Cox et al., 2005, Health Optimisation Protocol for Energy-efficient Buildings, Final Report
Bluyssen, P.M. and Loomans, M.G.L.C., 2003, A framework for performance criteria of healthy and energy-efficient buildings, Healthy Buildings 2003, Singapore.
Bluyssen, P.M. et al.., 2003, European Project HOPE (health optimization protocol for energy efficient buildings), Healthy Buildings 2003, Singapore.
Maroni M. et al., 2003, Performance criteria for healthy buildings, Healthy Buildings 2003, Singapore.
Roulet, C.-A., Johner, N., Flourentzous, F., Greuter, G., 2003, Multi-criteria Analysis Methodology of Health, IEQ and Energy Use for Sustainable Buildings, CISBAT, October 8-9, 2003, Lausanne, Switzerland. Healthy Buildings 2003, Singapore.
Roulet, C.-A., Johner, N., Oostra, B., Foradini, F., 2005, Multi-criteria analysis of health, comfort and energy-efficiency of buildings, Indoor Air 2005
Roulet, C.-A., Johner, N., Oostra, B., Foradini, F., 2005, Buildings, indoor environment, multicriteria analysis, energy, Indoor Air 2005
C. Aizlewood, C. Dimitroulopoulou. The HOPE Project: The UK Experience. Indoor and Built Environment 2006;15;:393-409.
Source of funding
Funding description
The European Commission supported the HOPE programme, under the contract ENK6-CT-2001-00505.
