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Towards explaining the health impacts of residential energy efficiency interventions – A realist review. Part 1: Pathways

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  • Willand, Nicola
  • Ridley, Ian
  • Maller, Cecily

Abstract

This paper is Part 1 of a realist review that tries to explain the impacts of residential energy efficiency interventions (REEIs) on householder health. According to recent systematic reviews residential energy efficiency interventions may benefit health. It is argued that home energy improvement are complex interventions and that a better understanding of the latent mechanisms and contextual issues that may shape the outcome of interventions is needed for effective intervention design. This realist review synthesises the results of 28 energy efficiency improvement programmes. This first part provides a review of the explanatory factors of the three key pathways, namely warmth in the home, affordability of fuel and psycho-social factors, and the pitfall of inadequate indoor air quality. The review revealed that REEIs improved winter warmth and lowered relative humidity with benefits for cardiovascular and respiratory health. In addition, residential energy efficiency improvements consolidated the meaning of the home as a safe haven, strengthened the householder's perceived autonomy and enhanced social status. Although satisfaction with the home proved to be an important explanation for positive mental health outcomes, financial considerations seemed to have played a secondary role. Evidence for negative impacts was rare but the risk should not be dismissed. Comprehensive refurbishments were not necessarily more effective than thermal retrofits or upgrades. A common protocol for the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of interventions would facilitate the synthesis of future studies. Householder and contextual influences are addressed in Part 2.

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  • Willand, Nicola & Ridley, Ian & Maller, Cecily, 2015. "Towards explaining the health impacts of residential energy efficiency interventions – A realist review. Part 1: Pathways," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 191-201.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:133:y:2015:i:c:p:191-201
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.02.005
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lucie Middlemiss, 2022. "Who is vulnerable to energy poverty in the Global North, and what is their experience?," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(6), November.
    3. McAndrew, Ryan & Mulcahy, Rory & Gordon, Ross & Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, 2021. "Household energy efficiency interventions: A systematic literature review," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    4. Miriam Berretta & Joshua Furgeson & Collins Zamawe & Ian Hamilton & Yue Wu & Paul J. Ferraro & Neal Haddaway & John Eyers, 2021. "PROTOCOL: Residential energy efficiency interventions: An effectiveness systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(4), December.
    5. Collins, Matthew & Curtis, John, 2017. "Identification of the information gap in residential energy efficiency: How information asymmetry can be mitigated to induce energy efficiency renovations," Papers WP558, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    6. Moore, Trivess & Berry, Stephen & Ambrose, Michael, 2019. "Aiming for mediocrity: The case of australian housing thermal performance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 602-610.
    7. Reuter, Matthias & Patel, Martin K. & Eichhammer, Wolfgang & Lapillonne, Bruno & Pollier, Karine, 2020. "A comprehensive indicator set for measuring multiple benefits of energy efficiency," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    8. Zhang, Ziyu & Shu, Hongting & Yi, Hong & Wang, Xiaohua, 2021. "Household multidimensional energy poverty and its impacts on physical and mental health," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    9. Miriam Berretta & Joshua Furgeson & Yue (Nicole) Wu & Collins Zamawe & Ian Hamilton & John Eyers, 2021. "Residential energy efficiency interventions: A meta‐analysis of effectiveness studies," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(4), December.
    10. Brown, Donal & Sorrell, Steve & Kivimaa, Paula, 2019. "Worth the risk? An evaluation of alternative finance mechanisms for residential retrofit," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 418-430.
    11. Kheira Anissa Tabet Aoul & Rahma Hagi & Rahma Abdelghani & Monaya Syam & Boshra Akhozheya, 2021. "Building Envelope Thermal Defects in Existing and Under-Construction Housing in the UAE; Infrared Thermography Diagnosis and Qualitative Impacts Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.

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