Thriving communities - Salutogenic approach to neighbourhood scale retrofit in the UK

Evidence based research identifies effects of buildings on human health and wellbeing. Poor living conditions too often result in adverse physical and mental health, where energy efficiency improvements are a major factor in enhancing people’s comfort and Quality of Life (QoL). However, retrofit standards are focused predominantly on addressing building performance gaps and resulting carbon reductions. While the primary driver for retrofit action is carbon-centric, rather than human-centric, the focus must shift to addressing health inequalities and supporting long-term wellbeing in the neighbourhood scale interventions. Currently, psycho-social determinants of health in the context of the existing built environment are not well recognised, nor equally assessed. This paper explores how salutogenic theory of health promotion can be applied to retrofit interventions. Salutogenesis is considered a life orientation where life experiences and confidence in predictability of environment shape one’s sense of coherence (SOC). Salutogenic architecture is characterized by design of enabling environments focusing on health outcomes, with consideration to socio-cultural factors and affordances. Ensuring people can be supported by their homes as their circumstances change through their lives, the theoretical approach proposed in this paper focuses on human needs. Salutogenic approaches applied to architecture can support multiple coping mechanisms and strengthen one’s SOC, recognising psycho-social factors of health promotion in the long-term perspective. The approach has not yet been explored in retrofit design and delivery, even though National Health Service (NHS) promotes the model of healthcare at home. This paper proposes a theory-based approach to examining the sociological phenomenon of coping within the home environment, going beyond the carbon reduction focused opportunities associated with retrofit of homes.