Main environmental studies are today, outdoor air quality, but not indoor air quality though there is mounting evidence that exposure to IAQ is the cause of excessive morbidity and mortality.Research within the areas of developing countries has had a low priority during the last half century compared with research on ambient air or industrial air.
A collaborative effort between Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Tuskegee University has resulted in an energy-efficient, healthy house that is built on Tuskegees experiment station farm to conduct various energy efficiency and indoor air quality studies. The house is well insulated and possesses other energy-efficient features, such as airtight construction, reflective roofing, and unventilated crawlspace. The energy efficiency and thermal performance of the house are investigated in view of electric power consumption as well as indoor and outdoor temperature and relative humidity data.
Issues associated with indoor air quality (IAQ) and its impact on occupant health have prompted research into the design and construction of healthy houses. Most of the houses constructed have been upscale housing. An affordable, energy-efficient, healthy house was built at Tuskegee
The aim of that study that lasted 5 years was to assess the effect of repairs made to moisture-damaged school buildings on the students' health. With repeated questionnaires it was possible to compare the occurrences of symptoms before and after the repairs in school.
This study quantified the daily average concentrations of respirable particulates in rural homes from three Indian districts. Thanks to this data a model is being developed to predict quantitative categories of population exposure based on survey information on housing and fuel characteristics. A better estimation of health risks will be possible.
This paper reports the distribution of VOC exposures, and explores the statistical associations between concentrations and common sources and modifiers of exposure, and examines the associations between personal, indoor, and outdoor exposure levels in children.
In so far as prevalence of asthma and allergies is different from East to West Germany, a suggestion that it was associated with lifestyle factors was made. The endotoxin levels in dust collected from more than 4000 infants and mothers mattresses were compared. But none of the predictors analyzed and even a combination of predictors can be used as a surrogate for high or low mattress dust endotoxin levels in epidemiological studies.
Both in domestic and public environments, dampness in buildings is a risk factor for health effects. A European group of scientists has reviewed the literature on that subject including mite exposure over the period 1998-2000. That review has shown that there is a huge need for multidisciplinary reviews in scientific papers including associations between indoor environmental factors and health effects.
This paper provides scientific evidence that electrified homes in South African rural villages have lower levels of air pollution compared to the non-electrified homes using fuel or wood. The measured air pollutants were RSP (stationary respirable particulate matter), the CO in the kitchen and the CO on the child.
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