Housing and Health – a barometer of health and behaviour ?
The ISSE has always believed in the principles of holistic property inspections.
From the very beginning in the 1970’s when the Institute originated, ventilation was a factor taken into account in ‘reactive’ inspections and the more ‘pro active’ surveys.
While none member surveyors would potentially react to damp inspection requests from the public with the recommendation for a damp proof course our members resisted such conclusions and advised in cases of condensation to prioritise the ventilation of bathrooms, kitchens and all areas including under-floor ventilation, ventilation of unused chimney breasts, and chimneys, roof voids and to refrain from drying clothes on radiators and the use of vapour barrier forming vinyl papers and paints in decorating.
As the decades have elapsed and the increasingly widespread use of double glazing and UPVC windows, over enthusiastic insulation of lofts and cavity walls have occurred, ventilation has become a marginalised subject. The Green Movement, credible as it is to conserve fuel and cut emissions, has had unintended consequences.
In step with the restriction of ventilation has marched the encroachment of artificial materials and building products in homes and offices. The latter particularly, becoming reservoirs of chemical toxins and inadequate ventilation by the widespread use of artificial materials and the re-circulated air supply of air conditioning. The increase in relative humidity above RH50 activating dust mites and producing condensation thus triggering mould spore germination leading to vastly increased spore presence in the atmosphere inducing spore germination in the lungs of those with impaired immune systems. Does the presence of construction, furnishings and cleaning toxins debilitate the health leading to gradual weakening of the immune system which can then lead to the onset of serious healthy conditions such as aspergillosis ?
Considering the percentage of time the average office or factory worker spends at home and then in the office or factory the exposure to possibly quite small 
amounts of materials, which in isolation and in small quantities probably would be quite harmless, has to be considered in combination and chronic exposure to these as a major influence in health. Add to this the travel to work and back home by car – another repository of toxic materials –Toyotabanned use of PVC in car interiors and the toxic circle is completed. Holidays spent in air conditioned planes flying to air conditioned hotels would provide little relief.
To make matter much worse cleaning materials are now almost entirely none artificial and the use of at times highly concentrated multi chemical compounds used regularly and in combination in the home and office should be evaluated. The rule in Donoghue and Stephenson regarding duty of care underlies these issues when manufacturers, housing owners and managers, architects, building surveyors and public health departments fail to act in an area of such importance is largely due to ‘creep’ about to lead to an explosion as is the case in so many of these matters – when asbestos for example is taken into account.
The ISSE has developed and prepared a Home Log Book which is a complete property condition report – internal and external. It is also an environmental condition report – ‘snapshot in time’ toxin catalogue and ventilation audit. Refinements of the Home Log Book can extend to thermal imaging and air quality testing and monitoring laboratory analysis of swabs, and specialist blood testing of occupiers. Powerful tools in conducting an audit over a period of time rather than the minimal snapshot in time data collection of the log.
The Log is a useful starting point for more detailed and conclusive study of environmental auditing.
While the ISSE surveyor is not a medical specialist the ISSE seek to work with such specialists in drawing together the holistic approach required.
The use of the Log indentifies toxins present or the likelihood of certain toxins assesses ventilation thus it can act as duty of care discharge documentation in property management. The Log contains a training template for property manager, owner and occupier alike. This allows the enviromental condition to be evaluated and recorded thus facilitating a remedial approach involving advice, curative recommendations and training in occupation to raise awareness on the part of owner manager and occupier and to agree a course of action to successfully remedy any adverse conditions identified.
Thus the potential savings in legal expenses in negligence claims, health impairment, improved working conditions and minimal absenteeism, decrease strain on the NHS can be immense. Behavioural problems attributed to chronic exposure of poor environmental condition could be reduced in line with the Home Log service.
The ISSE can draw together via its national membership and its membership of the Construction Industry Council and work with specialist groups can bring about potentially immense improvements in public health.
Recently the ISSE has developed links with Aspergillus.org.uk and a pilot housing partnership scheme between the City ofSheffieldand the NHS.
The ISSE are to assist in evaluating property and environmental condition monitoring
within an area or mixed housing in the City ofSheffieldbetween October 2011 and March 2012. The results of which can form a springboard forUKwide partnership rollout.
An example recently arose when the ISSE approached the manufacturers of Kingspan rigid foamed insulation boards to confirm the chemical constituents in their materials. The manufacturers refused to reveal the chemical make up of this product. Should such cavalier attitude be allowed when the past use of asbestos for example and the escape of chlorine from UPVC windows especially during combustion are known issues. If the identity of chemicals is not revealed how can the end users endorse such materials and how is the seeming lack of regulation in this allowed ? These issues are caught up in Duty of Care but why should common law have to invoked as opposed to responsible and enlightened regulatory control when health is at risk ?
The ISSE have found that there are many pockets of expertise and awareness of all of the above issues but that the communications or awareness which could lead to the exchange and dissemination of information is absent.