Healthy housing revolution

In 1931, the Gannochy Trust completed its original Housing Estate: a community aimed at giving people fair healthy living conditions. In the 21st Century, 75+ years later, Gannochy saw the opportunity to create another community with the same ambition.

Since modern construction rarely tests or monitors its dwellings, modern day developers often do not realise the potential performance difference between original design and completed build. This can leave some internal building environments as low quality, which can have a further negative impact on physical, mental and respiratory wellbeing.

Proper building performance evaluation (BPE) and standardised data collection within projects could improve buildings’ performance while minimising any negative health effects. For Gannochy, this innovative holistic approach would create another healthy housing revolution as seen from them in 1931.

48 new healthy homes using an BPE evidence-based approach.

The project’s approach required looking at previous analysis of buildings and using this knowledge to inform the new builds.

The first phase of the project used information from Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh Environmental Architecture Research Unit (MEARU). MEARU monitored 26 homes across Scotland over 2 years.

• 43% of buildings found to be below ventilation standards.
• High air leakage found in key areas in more than 50% of homes.
• Indoor temperatures below 12°C can increase respiratory risk: a temperature found in 8% of monitored rooms.

The next stage of the project took these insights and applied them to 48 new houses. Gannochy supported the construction of these homes on site, informing health standards. For example, CO2 levels had to stay <1000ppm; temperature 18-24°C; provision of fresh air 8-10 l/s per person. Houses also had to meet designated energy and performance standards.

The new Gannochy Trust Estate held its grand opening in October 2020.