Retrofitting for Improved Air Quality: promoting sustainable and healthy homes

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Northern Periphery and Arctic

Date of latest update: 2025-05-05

Description

Description (EN):

The RIAQ project addresses the critical challenge of improving energy efficiency in the Northern Periphery and Arctic region by enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ), hygrothermal performance, and occupant well-being in retrofitted homes. Aligned with EU climate goals, RIAQ will develop and disseminate practical tools, guidelines, and best practices for sustainable retrofitting. The project engages SMEs, policymakers, and occupants to ensure widespread adoption and compliance with relevant legislation. By fostering transnational collaboration, RIAQ leverages diverse regional expertise to create scalable solutions that support circular economy initiatives and drive long-term improvements in building sustainability and occupant health. The expected impact includes improved retrofit practices, enhanced IAQ, and strengthened connections among regional stakeholders, contributing to a healthier and more sustainable built environment.

Expected Achievements (EN):

The objective of WP1 is to establish a Strategic Coordination and Policy Framework that facilitates the implementation of energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthy retrofits across the NPA region. This will be achieved through effective project coordination, comprehensive analysis of existing retrofit programs and policies, and the evaluation of best practices in retrofit techniques, materials, energy certification, and HVAC systems. By identifying capacity gaps and providing targeted support, WP1 aims to enhance stakeholder capabilities, ensuring that sustainable retrofit strategies are widely adopted and implemented by the end of the project. WP2 involves all five partners, and Associated Partners , using field surveys, IAQ parameters will be measured in 50 domestic dwellings located across the NPA region, at pre- and post- energy retrofit (15-20 in Finland, 15-20 in Ireland, 5-10 in Sweden, 5-10 in Norway, 5-10 in Iceland). Best practices that promote and support healthy energy-efficient buildings, at design, construction and delivery to end user ( i.e. occupant) stages will be identified, this information will be used to provide a model for broader adoption across the region. Collected data will inform the development of guidance on (1) best practice relevant to design and delivery to promote IAQ (2) Key IAQ parameters and simple measures to check IAQ status in the home. This guidance will be relevant to the practitioners working in design and delivery of energy renovation, homeowners and tenants. WP3 aims to develop and promote a comprehensive set of guidelines and recommendations that will establish a standard for sustainable and healthy retrofitting practices across the NPA region. Leveraging data and insights from WP2’s pilot actions, these guidelines will focus on reducing the environmental footprint of retrofit projects while enhancing indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant comfort. The goal is to make sustainable retrofitting practices the norm by ensuring that solutions are practical, evidence-based, and adaptable to various contexts. WP3 will also emphasize the integration of innovative technologies and methods, contributing to long-term improvements in building sustainability, occupant health, and the widespread adoption of best practices in the retrofitting industry.

Project outputs: RIAQ transnational partnership(EN)
IAQ and Hygrothermal Safety Strategy(EN)
Strategic Framework for Optimizing Energy Performance and Occupant Comfort(EN)
Output 3.1: Integrated Retrofit Strategies for Long-term Building Sustainability
(EN)
Strategic Coordination and Policy Framework for Retrofitting Programs
(EN)

Thematic information

Health and social services Construction and renovation Knowledge and technology transfer

Priority: (VI-B_NPaA_2) Strengthening the capacity for climate change adaptation, and resource sufficiency in NPA communities

Priority specific objective: RSO2.1. Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 046 Support to entities that provide services contributing to the low carbon economy and to resilience to climate change, including awareness-raising measures

Partners (6)

Lead Partner: Oulun yliopisto

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FI02458955

Department: Good Indoor Air and Building Health/Civil Engineering/Faculty of Technology

Address: Pentti Kaiteran katu, 90014 Oulu, Finland

Department address: Pentti Kaiteran katu, 90014 Oulu, Finland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.oulu.fi

Total budget: EUR 519 332.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 337 565.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 181 766.20

Háskóli Íslands

Name: Háskóli Íslands

Department: Civil- and Environmental Engineering

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 19133

Address: Saemundargata , 102 Reykjavik, Iceland

Department address: Dunhagi, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://hi.is

Total budget: EUR 51 055.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 33 185.75

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 17 869.25

Terveyden ja hyvinvoinninlaitos

Name: Terveyden ja hyvinvoinninlaitos

Department: Public Health / Lifestyles and Living Environment / Environmental Health

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FI22295006

Address: Manner heimentie, 00271 Helsinki, Finland

Department address: Neulaniementie, 70210 Kuopio, Finland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.thl.fi

Total budget: EUR 111 250.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 72 312.50

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 38 937.50

VERKVIST

Name: VERKVIST

Department: Building techniques and indoor environments

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 5509160960

Address: Hallgerðargata, 105 Reykjavik, Iceland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://verkvist.is

Total budget: EUR 119 193.75

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 77 475.93

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 41 717.82

GBER schemes / de minimis: GBER Article 20

Umeå Universitet

Name: Umeå Universitet

Department: Department of Applied Physics and Electronics

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SE202100287401

Address: Håken Gullessons väg 20, 90187 Umeå, Sweden

Department address: Linnaeus väg, 90736 Umeå, Sweden

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.umu.se/en/

Total budget: EUR 249 943.93

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 162 463.55

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 87 480.38

University of Galway

Name: University of Galway

Department: College of Science and Engineering

Partner’s ID if not PIC: IE0022578J

Address: UNIVERSITY ROAD, H91 TK33 GALWAY, Ireland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/

Total budget: EUR 445 389.89

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 289 503.42

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 155 886.47

Partners map

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Retrofitting for Improved Air Quality: promoting sustainable and healthy homes

Project acronym: RIAQ

Project ID: NPA0800211

Project start date: 2025-03-01

Project end date: 2028-02-29

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

METABUILDING Labs
(https://metabuildinglabs.eu/) (EN) | The project gives access to EU wide network of testing facilities (and partners) and innovation services for new building envelope technologies and products. (EN), Ireland’s national Construction Technology Centre (www.constructinnovate.ie) (EN) | Ireland’s national Construction Technology Centre brings together the whole value chain to accelerate people-centric innovation in construction and the built environment that drives the transition towards a sustainable society and economy (EN), Built2Spec project (https://built2specproject.eu/) (EN) | Tools for the 21st century construction worksite. The project developed new and innovative on-site quality assurance tools to bridge the gap between the design and operational phases of building life cycle. Those included 3D imagery tools, BIM, smart building components, IAQ tools, airtightness test tools, thermal imaging and acoustic tools. (EN), nZEB RETROFIT (http://www.nzeb-retrofit.com/) (EN) | The project examined the effectiveness of innovative building structural elements and systems, regarding their structural, environmental and energy performance in retrofitting existing buildings. The project provided Irish network of stakeholders and knowledge/experience in terms of design, consumption, building methods, materials, energy efficiency, costs and user comfort in building retrofits. (EN), Interreg NPA – preparatory project – RIAQ – Impact of energy retrofits on indoor environmental quality and hygrothermal performance of the buildings in different climate scenarios (EN) | RIAQ focused on harmonizing protocols for IAQ assessment in two NPA countries and reaching experts in the field in the NPA countries to develop complex approach towards collecting data on retrofits techniques and their impact on IEQ, carbon footprint and moisture/mold safety. The ultimate goal is to develop approaches for buildings’ retrofits to promote northern periphery in reaching the European goal of carbon-neutrality while providing good IAQ. (EN), InChildHealth (https://www.oulu.fi/en/projects/inchildhealthidentifying-determinantsindoor-air-quality-and-their-health-impactenvironments) (EN) | The project identifies determinants for indoor air quality and their health impact in environments for children: measures to improve indoor air quality and reduce disease burdens. (EN), Climate Change and Health (CLIHE) 2020-2023 - ECOCIDE - Effect of climate change on building design and indoor health
https://www.aka.fi/en/research-funding/programmes-and-other-funding-schemes/academy-programmes/climate-change-and-health-clihe-2020-2023/ (EN) | Academy of Finland funded consortium project quantified evolutionary responses of indoor microbiota to environment change, the combination of microcosm experiments and numerical simulations have the practical application of identifying problems with the design of new builds and retrofits (renovations of buildings), thereby helping ‘future proof’ against the need for excessive renovations that impact human health and the economy. (EN), INSULATE - Improving energy efficiency of housing stock : impacts on indoor environmental quality and public health in Europe (2010-2015)
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/LIFE09-ENV-FI-000573/improving-energy-efficiency-of-housing-stock--impacts-on-indoor-environmental-quality-and-public-health-in-europe (EN) | The INSULATE project developed a comprehensive protocol for assessing the impacts of improved energy efficiency measures in existing multi-family buildings on Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and health, along with a set of IEQ indicators for use in assessing energy retrofits and large-scale renovations. In addition, a large database was constructed, which consisted of data collected from Finnish and Lithuanian multi-family buildings before and after energy retrofits. (EN), BALANCE - Sustainable and healthy buildings in the changing climate: balancing costs and benefits (2021-2024)
https://www.oulu.fi/en/projects/balance-sustainable-and-healthy-buildings-changing-climate-balancing-costs-and-benefits (EN) | The aim is to develop an integrated economic model to balance the effects on carbon footprint, indoor environment, health and costs, and to identify the most cost-efficient interventions in the Finnish building stock for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Joint effort of research groups from the University of Helsinki, Tampere University, University of Oulu and The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare formed a multidisciplinary, tightly intertwined research collaboration. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 496 164.57

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 861 845.27

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 65.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 861 845.27. Co-financing rate, 65.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Project Coordination Plan
Stakeholder Engagement Workshops
Project Reporting
Participation in Indoor Air Conference in Iceland
Policy and Practice Review
Identified Challenges and Hot Spots
Technical and Material Assessment
HVAC and Cross-Cutting Issues Report
Certification and Green Label Review
IAQ Parameters Database
IAQ Change Analysis
Hygrothermal and Mold Risk Assessment Report with Microbial Sampling
Hygrothermal and Microbial Parameters Database and Pilot Test Report
Energy Performance and Sustainability Report
Occupant Satisfaction and Well-being Report
Guidelines and Feedback Report
Combined Technical and Policy Guidelines Report

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EuropeanGreenDeal The RIAQ project supports the European Green Deal by promoting energy-efficient retrofits that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant well-being. By developing scalable and adaptable retrofit strategies, RIAQ contributes to the EU’s climate neutrality and sustainability goals, ensuring healthier, more energy-efficient buildings across the Northern Periphery and Arctic region.
TerritorialAgenda2030 RIAQ aligns with the Territorial Agenda 2030 by advancing sustainable retrofitting practices that emphasize regional resilience and resource efficiency. The project fosters collaboration across different climates and building types, promoting circular economy principles. RIAQ supports local and regional development by encouraging environmentally sustainable building strategies that contribute to Europe’s transition to a climate-neutral economy.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Northern Periphery and Arctic

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-05-05

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

63 / 63 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

305 / 305 (100%)

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Retrofitting for Improved Air Quality: promoting sustainable and healthy homes

Description

Thematic information

Partners (6)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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