Awaab’s law: Leeds Beckett researchers create unique AI tool in response to deadly mould risk

A PhD student at Leeds Beckett University’s Leeds Sustainability Institute has developed a damp predictive tool, using machine learning with explainable AI, to predict which homes are at risk of developing damp and mould. 

Trained on data from over 2,000 home inspections across 125 local authorities in England, the model analyses building features such as wall insulation, heating costs, and energy efficiency to identify properties most at risk.

This could be used by housing associations and local authorities to prioritise inspections and interventions in the highest risk homes before the damage becomes serious – and avoid further tragic deaths like that of 2-year-old Awaab Ishak in Rotherham in 2020.

After three years in development, the tool is now complete. This work represents the first peer-reviewed application of AI on damp and mould risk, and is the subject of a Nature Scientific Report. 

PHD student Gulala Aziz, who led the research, said:

“Housing associations and local authorities are subject to increasing requirements and scrutiny – and this research can help then to take swifter, more effective action.

“We take data which most housing providers will already have access too, meaning the tool can be deployed in a quick and cost-effective manner”

“We now want to work with housing providers to put this powerful research into practice.”

Adam Hardy, Senior Research Fellow at the Leeds Sustainability Institute, said:

“This research represents a huge step forward in understanding our housing stock. It allows housing managers to understand not just which homes are high risk, but also gives indications as to why, supporting smarter surveys and more targeted interventions for damp prevention”

The Leeds Sustainability Institute is a unique multi-disciplinary team which combines an understanding of building science, the way people behave, field work and analysing big data.

The unique team and approach informs sustainable building policy on a local and global scale, including recommendations on retrofitting and setting new global standards for measuring heat loss. The institute has won 10 Government projects worth over £4 million over the last 8 years relating to energy in buildings.

The strength of Leeds Beckett University’s partnership work has been recognised by the fourth national Knowledge Exchange Framework – with the University placed in the top 20% of universities in three categories.

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