A two-part experimental study was conducted to identify antecedents of complaints from office workers in a sealed, air conditioned building. Building illness was documented as increased incidence of absenteeism and complaints among office workers in the study group compared to control subjects in a non-sealed building of a similar age. The second part monitored complaints and symptoms from subgroups when lighting was changed and when fresh air was introduced. Complaints and symptoms decreased with changes in air and lighting and increased again when previous conditions were established.
The manufacturing procedures and performance of a building air infiltration kit consisting of miniature passive perfluorocarbon tracer permeation sources and passive adsorption tube samplers are described.
Reviews the most important sources of indoor air pollutants, and means of measuring the contamination of room air by persons (carbon dioxide and odours). Lists some recommendations for minimum ventilation rates, based on the results of experimental investigations.
Indoor air quality research in Canada is outlined. 17 indicators are being considered in drawing up air quality criteria and guidelines for residential application. They comprise: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, radon and radon decay products, formaldehyde, aldehydes, nitrogen dioxide, microbiological agents, moisture, particulates, ozone, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, lead, pesticides, aerosols, synthetic fibres and asbestos, and oxides of sulphur.
Outlines the fundamentals of insulation and airtightness, proper air quality, and ventilation. Presents details of design and construction for walls, roofs, foundations, windows, and air-vapour barriers, as well as discussions of ventilation systems, heating systems, appliances and methods of testing and evaluation. One of the appendices gives weather data for selected US and Canadian cities. Aims to be accessible to the interested layperson or homeowner.
From a hygienic viewpoint, optimum indoor air quality can be characterized as the complete absence of pollutants. The most important sources of such pollutants are reviewed, including those entering a room from outside, those generated by human activity and those emanating from various materials. Thebasic requirement is for all emissions to be as low as possible. For CO2 and formaldehyde the existing standards are reasonable. For most of the other substances it is not recommended to define tolerable limit values since such definition may decrease the efforts to attain a zero level.
This environmental information handbook was prepared to assist both the non-technical reader and technical persons, such as researchers, policy analysts, and builders/designers, understand the current state of knowledge regarding combustion so
Reviews literature on indoor air quality in housing, nature of contaminants and their sources, health effects, standards and guidelines, impact of air sealing on indoor air quality, sources of uncontrolled air leakage, airtightness and natural ventilation, airtightness of new and existing housing stock, air change in new and existing housing, impact of air sealing on airtightness and ventilation, indoor air quality in tight houses, impact of occupant behaviour on ventilation, measures to improve indoor air quality, identifying problem houses, indoor pollution control strategies, and ventila
A study to assess personal exposure to respirable particles was conducted during January to March 1982 in Waterbury, Vermont. 48 non-smoking volunteers carried Harvard/EPRI personal samplers every other day for two weeks.
An indoor/outdoor monitoring study was conducted during January to March 1982 in Waterbury, Vermont. Respirable particle measurements were made inside and outside 24 homes (all occupants were nonsmokers), 19 with wood-burning appliances and 5 without. Data were also obtained on seasonal air exchange rate, heating fuel consumption, and relevant home characteristics. Findings indicate that indoor particle levels are consistently higher than outdoor values regardless of heating fuel type.
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