The minimum fresh air requirements needed for perfect indoor air quality are being studied and these will form the basis of the Swiss Guidelines for Ventilation. An optimization between the need to reduce heat loss and fresh air requirements for health is the aim. Pollutants in indoor air, such as formaldehydes, radon, carbon dioxide, tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulates, have to be considered.
Diffusion-type passive monitors were placed for a two-week period in each of 303 residences in the New Haven (Conn.) area during a 12 week sampling period January to April 1983. For each home NO2 levels were recorded outdoors, and in three ro
Notes the increased attention being paid to "sick buildings" of the irritating type. Occupants complain of deteriorated indoor air and subtle medical symptoms that may be related to the indoor air. The problem seems to coincide with energy economising. To evaluate the actual quality of the air in a building it is necessary to conduct field studies with mobile investigation units, taking representative air samples for immediate sensory and chemical analysis.
Describes the work of the Department of Climate and Building Services of the National Swedish Institute for Building Research. Full scale trials, field measurement and measurement technology and methods applied to indoor climate are described. Research on airtight buildings, radon, air quality and efficient ventilation, occupant requirements and effects on human performance is also summarised. Dummies are used to measure heat transport to or from parts of the body, and for measurement of humidity.
Defines "sick buildings" and describes sensory symptoms reported. Both laboratory research and field trials have been carried out, using a mobile environment chamber, gas dosing equipment, an air analysis laboratory and computer systems. Pattern analysis of indoor air samples indicate importance of interrelationship between a large number of chemical substances and several different sensory perceptions. Lists current research.
Describes expectations people have of indoor climate. Notes that the quality of indoor climate has often taken second place to fashionable architectural and material considerations. Refers to concern for improved environment and awareness of formaldehyde, radon and other pollutants and the need for correct ventilation to achieve derived air quality. Provides guidelines for air quality, and the thermal environment in both housing and working premises.
Sedentary subjects occupied an environmental chamber (20-22 deg C, 35-50% RH) with low ventilation for 90 min. Judges (visitors) evaluated the odour of the chamber before and during, and after the 90-min period of occupancy. Odour intensity increased throughout occupancy and decayed afterwards. However, therate of decay exceeded that anticipated from ventilation rate alone. The results implied that body odour is unstable with a half-life of 55 min. This instability will influence quantitative requirements for ventilation during nonsmoking occupancy.
Demonstrates that complaints by office staff about their physical environment are not necessarily caused by physical deficiencies. Trying to reduce the level of complaints by adjusting heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can therefore be an unrewarding task. Greater attention needs to be placed on - communications between management, those responsible for running HVAC systems and staff. Staff need the feeling that they can influence, if not control, their environment. Staff should also have more realistic expectations about their thermal comfort.
An account is given of what the kindergarten staff wrongly believed caused the problems and what measures they carried out in an attempt to solve them. On the spot measurements showed however what the real main cause of the problems was. Results from the comprehensive measurements of CO2 concentrations andother ventilation performance criteria in a room occupied by 12 children and 3adults are then presented.
Random samples of the workforces of an air conditioned and naturally ventilated building were interviewed using a doctor administered questionnaire. Large and statistically significant excesses of work-related nasal symptoms, irritation of the eyes, dry throat, headache, dry skin andlethargy were detected in the air conditioned building compared to the naturally ventilated building. In the air conditioned building, over 36% of those interviewed were suffering from a single symptom and few workers were symptom free.
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