Analysing the technical and behavioural shifts of social housing tenants following the retrofitting of external wall insulation

Environmental, economic and social issues present local housing associations with many challenges in terms of management of their existing housing stock. Multiple problems arise from poorly insulated properties, and the twin foci of this research regards the performance of residential external wall insulation (EWI), and identifying the additional benefits that EWI provides to social housing tenants, , which are uncovered through means of behavioural and technical monitoring. The research process generated two sets of data points per household relating to the start and the end of the study and comparative analysis techniques are used to identify changes in user behaviours. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using survey methods that explored environmental knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and everyday behaviours with regard to energy consumption and use. Additional data capture involved temperature logging, meter reading, thermal imaging and the analysis of energy meter readings to monitor changes in usage in the pre and post stages of retrofitting EWI. The results of this study identify changes in the technical performance of the properties and benefits in the well-being and behaviour of the tenants.