Healthy Homes Start with Cleaner Air

Indoor air is often overlooked – but it profoundly affects health. In this episode of Making Housing Better, Lee Reevell, Chief Innovation Officer at Healthy Homes Hub, speaks with Dr Douglas Booker, lecturer at the University of Leeds, co-founder of NAQTS, and Clean Air Champion, about why improving indoor air is vital for social housing. 

In this episode: 

• Why indoor air quality is a “market failure” – and why housing providers must act. 

• Lessons from NAQTS’ school study on ventilation, ultra-fine particles, and VOCs. 

• How to align retrofit with health outcomes, avoiding unintended consequences like damp, mould, and overheating. 

• The Hestia project – a two-year collaboration bringing together universities, housing providers, and residents to deliver fairer, healthier retrofits. 

• Why the UK needs a national Indoor Air Quality Observatory to standardise monitoring and inform better policy. 

Practical steps for housing providers: 

• Audit ventilation: Check extractor fans (especially cooker hoods) are working and venting outside. 

• Capture the golden thread: Keep clear records of building changes to understand ventilation impacts. 

• Engage tenants: Build trust and educate residents on how ventilation supports health. 

• Explore partnerships: Get involved in projects like Hestia to shape healthier retrofit programmes.

Clink here to find out more about the Hestia Network