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Co-benefits of residential retrofits: A review of quantification and monetization approaches
(Elsevier BV, 2025-02) Ruiz-Valero, Letzai; Makaremi, Nastaran; Haines, Sarah; Touchie, Marianne
Buildings must play a significant role in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Residential retrofits are an important part of this, but they are not being implemented at the scale and speed required to meet our goals. In this context, highlighting the co-benefits associated with energy retrofits could significantly strengthen the argument for more widespread adoption and effectively motivate building owners. Accordingly, this review utilizes a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to analyze various dimensions of social, economic, and environmental co-benefits associated with residential retrofits initiatives. Following PRISMA guidelines, 207 articles were reviewed which indicated that the three most common retrofit interventions include adding insulation and replacing windows and heating systems. The results highlight the importance of implementing retrofits not only to improve environmental and economic outcomes, but also to provide significant social and health benefits. Findings show that the quantification of social benefits primarily revolved around inhabitant comfort and satisfaction, with thermal comfort emerging as the most extensively studied co-benefit, followed by health impact evaluations. In the reviewed studies, economic and environmental co-benefits have been analyzed with a focus on greenhouse gas emission reduction and the generation of new direct and indirect job opportunities. However, there is a need for standardized, comprehensive, multi-scale approaches to effectively evaluate the co-benefits associated with residential retrofits for all stakeholders, including individuals, society, and governments. Such an approach enables the integration of these co-benefits into policy objectives and retrofit decision-making processes, fostering a more holistic understanding of the positive impacts of residential retrofits.
Impact of classroom environment on student wellbeing in higher education: Review and future directions
(Elsevier BV, 2024-11-01) Makaremi, Nastaran; Yildirim, Serra; Morgan, Garrett T.; Touchie, Marianne F.; Jakubiec, J. Alstan; Robinson, John B.
Given the emerging concern for student wellbeing in public health discourse, a question arises: What role do campus buildings play in shaping the overall wellbeing of students? Following the PRISMA guideline, this study reviews the current building science literature that explores the relationship between higher education learning environments, specifically classroom spaces, and the wellbeing of students. Our investigation reveals that the existing literature primarily frames student wellbeing in terms of individual comfort and health. While acknowledging the importance of these aspects, we emphasize the desirability of embracing wider social and collective dimensions from an interdisciplinary perspective. We also advocate for a departure from the traditional approach that focuses primarily on mitigating adverse environmental effects to one focused on net positive environmental and human benefits. Encompassing these two perspectives, this paper presents a holistic approach to better understand the wellbeing of both individuals and the communities within educational settings. This comprehensive perspective aims to highlight the diverse and collective dimensions influencing campus wellbeing, contributing to a regenerative pathway toward achieving net-positive design and sustainability in both human and environmental terms.
Episode 5
(Climate Justice Toronto, 2023-05-08) Harvey-Sánchez, Amanda; DaSilva, Julia
This is Episode 5 of the “Divestment Generation” mini series, a five episode series exploring the 9 year campaign to win fossil fuel divestment at the University of Toronto! Our final episode is an “intergenerational” conversation where creators and co-hosts Amanda Harvey-Sánchez and Julia DaSilva invite a couple people from each of the prior episodes to meet one another and talk about key themes from the podcast, where they are now, and possible next steps for the climate justice movement. Our guests are Stuart Basden, Keara Lightning, Ben Donato-Woodger, Kristine, Rivka Goetz, and Léo Jourdan.
Episode 4
(Climate Justice Toronto, 2023-04-05) Harvey-Sánchez, Amanda; DaSilva, Julia
This is Episode 4 of the “Divestment Generation” mini series, a five episode series exploring the 9 year campaign to win fossil fuel divestment at the University of Toronto! In Episode 4, creators and co-hosts Amanda Harvey-Sánchez and Julia DaSilva speak with “Fourth Gen” divestment organizers - those who were involved in the campaign from 2019 until the big win in October 2021 and its immediate aftermath. Our “Fourth Gen” guests are Rivka Goetz, James Slaven, Leila Tjiang, and Léo Jourdan.
In our song segment, CJTO member Rebecca and participants from CJTO’s September 2022 Orientation lead you in the seventh and eighth verses of a special adaptation of the movement song “Which Side Are You On?”, originally by Pete Seeger. Stay tuned for the fifth and final episode in the “Divestment Generation” mini series to hear the full song!
Episode 3
(Climate Justice Toronto, 2023-02-27) Harvey-Sánchez, Amanda; DaSilva, Julia
This is Episode 3 of the “Divestment Generation” mini series, a five episode series exploring the 9 year campaign to win fossil fuel divestment at the University of Toronto! In Episode 3, creators and co-hosts Amanda Harvey-Sánchez and Julia DaSilva speak with “Third Gen” divestment organizers - those who were involved in the campaign from 2016 until 2019, ending around the start of the pandemic. Our “Third Gen” guests are Aniket, Evelyn, and Kristine.
In our song segment, CJTO member Rebecca and participants from CJTO’s September 2022 Orientation lead you in the fifth and sixth verses of a special adaptation of the movement song “Which Side Are You On?”, originally by Pete Seeger. Stay tuned for further episodes in the “Divestment Generation” mini series to learn the rest of the song!