Good homes alliance overheating tool

New tool and guidance launched in March 2022 to tackle residential overheating risks

Following a well-received overheating risk tool and guidance for new build homes, Good Homes Alliance has launched a beta version of a new tool and accompanying guidance developed for existing homes and retrofit schemes.

The tool responds to demand from designers, housing associations, environmental health officers, and other parties concerned with overheating risks in the existing housing stock, which are likely to increase further due to climate change.

It is intended for use at the early stages of residential retrofit projects, or on existing homes, to identify factors contributing to overheating risk and possible mitigation measures. It is applicable to existing homes, retrofits, and conversions of non-domestic buildings to residential accommodation. The work has been led by Julie Godefroy of Julie Godefroy Sustainability, with support from Susie Diamond of Inkling LLP.

The tool and guidance are easy to use by non-specialists to inform early-stage big impact decisions. They promote holistic consideration of overheating risk together with the site context and linked design issues such as ventilation and noise. The potential impacts of energy efficiency measures through retrofit are included, but the tool also highlights the important opportunities for retrofit to contribute not only to overheating risk mitigation, but also improvements in air quality and energy efficiency.

This launch is a beta version, and the team will look to produce a revised version early Autumn 2022.

The project has been co-funded by the National Energy Foundation, and the BEIS funded REFINE project on radical decarbonisation of social housing through whole house energy retrofits. The REFINE project is one of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrators led by Warwick District Council and Oxford Brookes University with Enhabit/QODA Consulting and Sarah Wigglesworth Architects.

Julian Brooks, Programmes Director, Good Homes Alliance, said: “We were delighted to work with Julie Godefroy and Susie Diamond on this important project, which has culminated in an easy-to-use tool and practical guidance to help identify and mitigate overheating risks in our existing housing stock.”

Susie Diamond, Inkling and Julie Godefroy, Julie Godefroy Sustainability said: “We are really happy to have been able to continue our work with the Good Homes Alliance on this topic. We have seen huge demand for guidance on this and couldn’t be happier to support the decarbonisation of existing homes while protecting the comfort of residents. We look forward to feedback and piloting the tool, do get in touch.”

Paul Ciniglio, Refurbishment Lead, National Energy Foundation said: “The National Energy Foundation were adamant that this research leading to a creation of a new tool to help mitigate the risks of overheating in existing homes should receive our support. In promoting high-quality whole house retrofit through our SuperHomes Rating Scheme, it is essential that unintended consequences, which could otherwise lead to an increased risk of overheating and discomfort as a result of the retrofit process, are avoided”.

Professor Rajat Gupta, Academic lead, REFINE project, Oxford Brookes University said: "“We have shown through years of research that overheating in existing and retrofitted homes is a risk to resident well-being. We are delighted to support the development of a tool to tackle overheating risks in retrofitted homes as part of our REFINE research project. The tool could potentially have a major impact on the quality of life of residents, who will enter an era of advanced energy-efficient homes.”

The tool can be downloaded for free from the Good Homes Alliance Knowledge Base https://kb.goodhomes.org.uk/tool/overheating-retrofit/

Article provided via press release from Richard Broad from Good Homes Alliance 17 March 2022

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