Renovations of social housing are increasing in number to meet the European Union's goals of becoming energy neutral by 2050. This is realised by using a combination of building-related energy efficiency measures (eg. insulation, mechanical ventilation), renewable energy systems (e.g. heat pumps, district heating, solar panels), and their related distrubution systems (eg. low temperature heating, smart grids).

A number of parties are involved in working of these systems, such as construction companies, housing corporations, equipment manufacturers, third party maintenance crews, and crucially the occupants of these residences themselves. Of these, the residents are an often neglected aspect in the design. Tenants are often expected to be able to operate systems with insufficient support, training and guidance. This leads to an inability to realise when the systems are not working as expected, difficulty and reluctance in conducting maintenance when an issue is found. Residents have to rely on housing corporations to arrange for a solution, which takes time and reduces quality of living and energy efficiency.

This thesis proposes ten practical principle solutions to manufactures of Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems to make their designs more user-friendly. Through detailed exploration and prototyping, the thesis aims to provide feasible means to improve the interaction of residents with these energy efficient systems in their homes, thus enhancing their quality of life.