Cobenefits of Insulating Houses

People spend most of the time indoors, so indoor temperatures and air quality are important. There is growing evidence that retrofitting insulation in existing houses improves health, wellbeing, and life expectancy, as well as having many cobenefits, including reducing fuel poverty, increasing energy efficiency, and mitigating climate change. The cost-effectiveness of retrofitted insulation programs has been increased by their ability to provide employment during economic recessions. This chapter summarizes the broad outcomes of several large-scale retrofit insulation and heating programs before analyzing the different policy frameworks that have been used to justify retrofitted insulation policies.

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