
COVERED OUTDOOR DRYING
- Sun disinfects washing
- Zero energy consumption


INDOOR DRYING CUPBOARD
- Health risk removed
- Low energy consumption
COMMUNAL DRYING SPACE
- Make waterproof but well ventilated
- Take advantage of sunshine
- Remove drying from homes
This website contains the main outputs of a three year multidisciplinary project led by the Mackintosh Environmental Architecture Research Unit (MEARU) at the Glasgow School of Art, in partnership with the Centre for Research on Indoor Climate and Health (RICH) at Glasgow Caledonian University and the Energy Systems Research Unit (ESRU) at the University of Strathclyde.
There are three main health risks associated with indoor drying, all relating to moisture.
= asthma risk
= hazardous carcinogenic chemical
= health risk heightened with moisture
= high mould spore count
= asthma, eczema etc. risks
30% of moisture in homes is attributable to clothes drying on wash days.
3.5 kWh per typical cycle
Current housing has a lack of dedicated drying spaces, utility rooms or other suitable spaces in which to dry clothes within the home. Not only can the sun, even in Scotland, help to dry our clothes, it is also a natural disinfectant.
The scope of the study involved a survey of 100 households in Glasgow, in—depth monitoring and analysis of 22 of these, laboratory analysis of air samples and the affect of moisture on materials and advanced moisture modelling.
The Design Guide is augmented by technical reports from the three research units and links to related technical papers.