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Building Type:

Multifamily, Single Family

Location:

California

New/Existing:

Existing

Research Category :

Cooking, Indoor Air Quality

Research Sponsor:

Bay Area Air Quality Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and Sierra Health Foundation

AEA's Role:

Technical lead on assessments, contractor management, and monitoring for participating homes.

Contra Costa Asthma Initiative

Research Team:

Contra Costa Health Services and the Contra Costa Department of Conservation and Development, MCE, AEA,

Challenge:

Housing conditions play a significant role in health. It is estimated that Americans spend over 90% of their time indoors, and the majority of that time is in homes. Healthy homes are dry, clean, safe, well- ventilated, pest and contaminant-free, well-maintained, and thermally controlled. Deficiencies in any of these areas can lead to adverse health impacts. Public health has long recognized the nexus between housing and health. Perhaps most significant for health professionals, these reviews and studies point out that the health benefits of EE are greatest among those with pre-existing health conditions linked to housing risk, such as respiratory or cardiovascular diseases.
The public health sector and the energy efficiency and weatherization sector operate in silos, yet there are many opportunities for stakeholders to support each other and create additional co-benefits for community members living in Contra County. Out of this opportunity was born the Asthma Initiative Program.

Project Objective:

Conservation and Development, which integrates various climate and health interventions to improve outcomes for low-income, high-risk asthma patients. This unique initiative will integrate various climate and health interventions to improve outcomes for low-income patients with uncontrolled and persistent asthma from across the County who receive health insurance through the Contra Costa Health Plan. Community health workers will provide case management and health services to support asthma management as well as deliver consumer goods such as HEPA filters and food storage containers to address Asthma triggers. AEA will conduct in-home visits and assessments and implement retrofits in select high-risk asthma residents (adults and children) across the County to improve indoor air quality and remove underlying asthma triggers. Building improvements may include air filtration/dehumidification, electrification of heating/ cooling systems and appliances, induction cooking appliances, electric panel upgrades, ventilation, or other interventions to improve asthma and indoor air quality. Certain building improvements, such as electrifying gas appliances, will not only improve indoor air quality, but will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the County. AEA will monitor and measure indoor air quality changes from the building retrofits for a small sample of units to document changes in the indoor air quality.

Contra Costa Asthma Initiative

Research Team:

Contra Costa Health Services and the Contra Costa Department of Conservation and Development, MCE, AEA,

Challenge

Housing conditions play a significant role in health. It is estimated that Americans spend over 90% of their time indoors, and the majority of that time is in homes. Healthy homes are dry, clean, safe, well- ventilated, pest and contaminant-free, well-maintained, and thermally controlled. Deficiencies in any of these areas can lead to adverse health impacts. Public health has long recognized the nexus between housing and health. Perhaps most significant for health professionals, these reviews and studies point out that the health benefits of EE are greatest among those with pre-existing health conditions linked to housing risk, such as respiratory or cardiovascular diseases.
The public health sector and the energy efficiency and weatherization sector operate in silos, yet there are many opportunities for stakeholders to support each other and create additional co-benefits for community members living in Contra County. Out of this opportunity was born the Asthma Initiative Program.

Project Objective

Conservation and Development, which integrates various climate and health interventions to improve outcomes for low-income, high-risk asthma patients. This unique initiative will integrate various climate and health interventions to improve outcomes for low-income patients with uncontrolled and persistent asthma from across the County who receive health insurance through the Contra Costa Health Plan. Community health workers will provide case management and health services to support asthma management as well as deliver consumer goods such as HEPA filters and food storage containers to address Asthma triggers. AEA will conduct in-home visits and assessments and implement retrofits in select high-risk asthma residents (adults and children) across the County to improve indoor air quality and remove underlying asthma triggers. Building improvements may include air filtration/dehumidification, electrification of heating/ cooling systems and appliances, induction cooking appliances, electric panel upgrades, ventilation, or other interventions to improve asthma and indoor air quality. Certain building improvements, such as electrifying gas appliances, will not only improve indoor air quality, but will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the County. AEA will monitor and measure indoor air quality changes from the building retrofits for a small sample of units to document changes in the indoor air quality.

Building Type:

Multifamily, Single Family

Location:

California

New/Existing:

Existing

Research Category :

Cooking, Indoor Air Quality

Research Sponsor:

Bay Area Air Quality Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and Sierra Health Foundation

AEA's Role:

Technical lead on assessments, contractor management, and monitoring for participating homes.