Hope – Health optimisation

Health optimisation protocol for energy efficient buildings –
European project ENK6-ct-2001-00505

The aim of the project HOPE was to provide the means to increase the number of buildings that are energy-efficient and healthy.

The following results have been achieved. Most of them are available on the HOPE web-site: http://hope.epfl.ch/

  • A set of qualitative and quantitative performance criteria for healthy and energy-efficient buildings for Europe,
  • A protocol for testing performance criteria for healthy and energy-efficient buildings,
  • Application of performance criteria and testing of a protocol in existing buildings by:
    • a multi-disciplinary study in 164 office and multi-apartment buildings of which approximately 75% are designed to be energy-efficient;
    • a detailed investigation of 29 of the above buildings;
  • A database of the health and energy efficiency status of  the 164 investigated buildings, with information on:
    • energy consumption and energy efficiency;
    • comfort and health status of the occupants;
  • Guidelines/recommendations for designing a healthy, comfortable, energy-efficient building and for improving a building that is unhealthy and/or not energy-efficient;

The results of the project clearly show that it is possible to realise low-energy buildings with good indoor environment quality. The existence of buildings that are healthy, comfortable and have a good energy performance, as well as better comfort and health shown on the average by low energy buildings, shows that the apparent conflict between health and comfort on the one hand and energy use on the other hand need not, in fact, exist.

Project Co-Ordinator

  • TNO Built Environment and Geosciences (NL)
    Christian Cox

Partners

  • Weerdenburg Huisvesting Consultants (NL)
  • Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (NL)
  • University of Porto (P)
  • Danish Building Research Institute (SBi) (DK)
  • Technical University of Berlin (D)
  • Helsinki University of Technology (FIN)
  • Technical Research Centre of Finland (FIN)
  • University of Milano (I)
  • Building Research Establishment (UK)
  • Charles University of Prague (CZ)
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
  • E4Tech S.àr.l (CH)
  • Vaudois University Hospital Centre (CH)

Related publications

  • Aizlewood, C. E., C. Cox, C. A. Roulet, L. A. Nicol, and C. Peruzzo, 2005, Assessment of Health Risks in Buildings Using Health Hazard Algorithms (Hope Project): Indoor Air.
  • Bluyssen, P. M., C. Cox, N. Boschi, M. Maroni, G. Raw, C.-A. Roulet, and F. Foradini, 2003, European Project HOPE (Health Optimisation Protocol For Energy-Efficient Buildings): Healthy Buildings, p. 76-81.
  • Cox, C., 2005, Health Optimisation Protocol for Energy-efficient Buildings, Delft, TNO Bouw, p. 82.
  • Roulet, C.-A., C. Cox, E. d. O. Fernandes, and B. Müller, 2005a, Health, Comfort, and Energy Performance in Buildings – Guidelines to achieve them all Lausanne, EPFL, LESO, p. 64.
  • Roulet, C.-A., C. Cox, and F. Foradini, 2005b, Creating healthy and energy-efficient buildings: lessons learned from the HOPE project  Indoor Air, p. Paper 1.6 44.
  • Roulet, C.-A., F. Flourentzou, and G. Greuter, 2003a, Multicriteria Analysis Methodology of Health, IEQ and Energy Use for Sustainable Buildings: Healthy Buildings 2003.
  • Roulet, C.-A., F. Flourentzou, and G. Greuter, 2003b, Multicriteria Analysis Methodology of IEQ and Energy Use for Sustainable Buildings: CISBAT 2003, p. 575-580.
  • Roulet, C.-A., B. Oostra, F. Foradini, and C. Cox, 2005c, Designing healthy, comfortable and energy-efficient buildings: lessons from enquiries within the european HOPE project.: CISBAT 2005.