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Stage 1
95 householders are selected via a number of sources, many via referral from Health Visitors and other Health Professionals. They are then visited by a surveyor from Enact Energy who carries out a survey of the home to calculate its energy efficiency and investigate the suitability for the range of measures on offer. This is then followed up by a medical symptom questionnaire undertaken by the Project Manager who is also a qualified nurse. The final visit is from our air monitoring experts who take a range of measurements in the home including particle readings, dust mite levels, RH, CO2 levels etc.
Stage 2
A pilot group of households are randomised and given one of three packages of improvement measures, a fourth group are given no works as a means of control. The packages are:
1) Surface
Wooden floors in lounge/bedroom, New dust mite proof mattresses/bedding and a central vacuum cleaner
2) Heating
New affordable wet central heating system for those homes which are not already adequately heated
3) Ventilation
A full house mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery
Stage 3
The children are monitored throughout the following year to identify any improvement or deterioration of their asthma symptoms. 12 months after the first survey the home is revisited by the air monitoring experts to ascertain any improvements in air quality and most importantly, the reduction of dust mite levels.
Stage 4: Roll out
Based on the results of the final report from the pilot group (estimated to be summer 2003), the remaining households (including previous controls) receive the package proven to improve the children's asthma the most. These households will all receive further health and air quality monitoring which will form the basis of the final report in 2004.
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