People want healthier homes. Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) and VELUX Group will publish the Healthy Buildings, Healthy Lives Citizens’ Survey, using data from six European countries to understand how the concept of healthy buildings resonates with people’s lived experiences.
The survey found that:
– People understand the health impact of indoor environments: 39% say their physical and mental well-being is strongly affected in their homes and over half of workers say the same about their offices.
– People want healthier homes: 6 in 10 believe buildings should be subject to stricter design and maintenance rules to make them healthier. Of the countries surveyed, Polish respondents were the most critical of their homes’ healthiness, while the French were the most positive.
– Buildings cannot cope with extreme heat and cold: 45% of respondents believe their homes are not equipped to handle extreme heat; 25% believe their homes cannot handle the cold. UK respondents were the most pessimistic about their homes’ heatwave resilience. In the EU, Germans occupied the top spot, with 50.8% believing their home could not handle heat well.
– High costs and low awareness block home improvements: 31% of respondents cite financial constraints as a barrier to improving homes. But money is not the only obstacle: respondents also cited unawareness about the most effective solutions to help target problems. Many support additional government budget going to building renovations (65.4% in Germany, 66.2% in Italy).
“Building policies must put people first. The evidence clearly shows that for citizens, health and climate resilience are central expectations. Government action on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the Affordable Housing Plan should ensure affordability, sustainability and quality go hand in hand. Granting Europeans access to healthy homes will improve public health and ensure our communities stay resilient in the face of a warming planet,” says Oliver Rapf, Executive Director of BPIE.
“If we want healthier buildings, we need to start by listening better to how people experience their homes. This survey is a clear reminder that healthy buildings are not a technical debate. It shows that there is strong public support for action, but also confusion and concern. This must be addressed and key here is to get the narrative right and better promote solutions which respond to real needs,” says Fleming Voetmann, VP Public Affairs and Regulatory Affairs, VELUX.
Survey methodology
The survey was conducted by YouGov between 7 and 14 September 2025. It gathered responses from 6,102 adults across 6 European countries (Denmark, Poland, Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom). At least 1,000 respondents were surveyed in each country.
52% of respondents were women, and 48% were men. The age range of respondents was between 18 and 60+, with 34% aged 60+.
Participants were selected from a wide range of living environments (32% from large cities, 17% from the suburbs, 29% from towns and 22% coming from rural areas) and housing situations (56% homeowners, 44% renters).
The findings of the Healthy Buildings, Healthy Lives Citizens’ Survey will feed into the upcoming edition of the Healthy Buildings Barometer (HBB) 2026 – a report that has been tracking the health of buildings and their users since 2015. Starting in 2024, the scope of the HBB was expanded to include all major building types and put forward a framework for healthy buildings based on scientific research. In 2026, against the background of citizens’ perception on buildings and a clear call for more action to push health to the top of the buildings agenda, the HBB will put forward a new perspective on healthy buildings.
The Healthy Buildings Barometer defines ‘healthy buildings’ through five dimensions:
(1) improving mental and physical health,
(2) designed for human needs,
(3) sustainably built and managed,
(4) resilient and adaptive,
(5) empowering people.
Since 2015, the Healthy Homes Barometer has been tracking the state of European Union (EU) homes
The 2024 edition has been renamed as the Healthy Buildings Barometer (HBB) to reflect the fact that it now extends to all major building types, giving us significant insights into all our buildings and their users’ health. A new edition of the Healthy Buildings Barometer will be published in the autumn of 2026.
BPIE (Buildings Performance Institute Europe) is a leading independent centre of expertise on energy performance of buildings, providing data-driven and actionable policy analysis, advice, and implementation support to decision-makers in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Founded in 2010, BPIE combines expertise on energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, and health and indoor environment with a deep understanding of EU policies and processes. A not-for-profit think-tank based in Brussels and Berlin, our mission is to make an affordable, climate-neutral built environment a reality in Europe and globally.
Group VELUX roof windows have been bringing daylight and fresh air into peoples’ homes around the world for more than 80 years, creating better living environments. We offer a range of products including roof windows and modular skylights, decorative blinds, sun screening products, and roller shutters, as well as installation and smart home solutions. They help create bright, healthy, and energy-efficient places for people who live, work, learn, and play under the roof. We work globally – with sales and manufacturing operations in 37 countries and around 12,000 employees worldwide.
The VELUX Group is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company owned by the Villum Foundation and members of the Kann Rasmussen family. In 2024, the VELUX Group had a total revenue of EUR 2.96 billion while VKR Holding had a total revenue of EUR 3.87 billion. The same year, the Villum Foundation and the VELUX FOUNDATION donated a total of EUR 169 million in charitable grants.
