The indoor environment is by far the most important environment from a health perspective. Allergies, airways infections, lung cancer etc. are associated with indoor air quality (IAQ) in developed countries and they are related to the use of energy for buildings. The main problems related to buildings, energy conservation and health in the developed world concern 'dampness' and inadequate ventilation. It is well established that if there is no 'building dampness' and if the ventilation is adequate then the risk of IAQ-related diseases is low.
Describes an assessment using carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds as IAQ indicators for indoor air quality in a representative underground parking facility. Measurements were made at different time intervals throughout the day. The EMFAC7F1.1 model was used to estimate vehicular emission factors. Concentration profiles were then assembled using a transient mass balance model.
Environmental and economic concerns linked to conventional heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HY AC) have sparked a renewed interest in natural ventilation, passive cooling and other low energy microclimate control strategies for buildings. In Canada, the combination of extreme weather conditions, wind variability, transient occupancy patterns and high internal heat gains may hinder the feasibility of implementing natural ventilation as an exclusive means of ventilating non-domestic buildings.
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