Discusses the symptoms and compaints of the occupants of unhealthy buildings. Compares the availability and sensitivity of building sensors to human sensitivity for the full fange of indoor air contaminants. Refers to the difficulty of assessing pollution using occupant questionnaires. A simple equation for determining contaminant concentration is presented and ventilation standards are discussed.
The Department of Building Technology, the Technological Institute of Copenhagen, have for several years been developing equipment for continuous measurement of air infiltration. It enables continuous measurement of air change rate in up to ten rooms, the constant concentration method with tracer gas is used, and the results are recorded on a computer diskette during measurement. Analysis of possible measuring errors show that the method is accurate and to within plus or minus 5%. Shows the results of measurement of air infiltration in 10 relatively airtight dwellings.
Describes the results of a series of observations of window opening by occupants of 200 small offices in 5 buildings. Shows a high degree of association between the number of windows open and weather-related parameters. Estimated ventilation rates based upon the proportion of windows open, indicate levels substantially in excess of those required for indoor quality control, for a large part of the heating season.
Describes airing habits based on observation of windows of 50000 rooms in terraced housing and blocks of flats. Compares the results with observations in other countries. Derives an expression giving the fraction of indoor-outdoor temperature difference. Calculates from this information the average energy losses in Sweden due to airing.
The report aims to provide the basis for the design and set up of experiments for the evaluation of the effects of energy conservation measures in residential buildings. The first part deals with general planning of the experiment, basic principles of building physics, thermal comfort and energy related behaviour of occupants. The second part decribes the design of the experiment, and the third part is devoted to measurement techniques, data acquisition and installation rules in the different fields of building physics and heating systems.
Reports on a study carried out by HUDAC and DBR on four identical detached houses built in Ontario in 1977. House 1 was built according to the insulation requirements of the 1975 Ontario Building Code, the others were constructed with increased levels of insulation and air tightness. Some of the aims are:
Describes a window opening survey concerned with identifying the objective correlates of window opening. Finds that the variation between households in terms of their total daily window opening is greater than that within households. Householders may adopt consistent window opening patterns. Hypothesises that although window opening is primarily a function of external air temperature, relative humidity and windspeed are influential at high values.
Outlines ventilation needs to show that odour dilution and moisture control are the major winter factors. Detailed studies on 24 well insulated houses show that window opening habits are clearly linked to outdoor temperature, more windows being opened in milder weather.< Shows from energy input analysis that space heating only provides a quarter of the total heat, the remainder coming from casual sources. Analysis of energy loss suggests that a third of the losses are attributable to ventilation, the remainder through the building fabric.
Reports TNO-IMG research into ventilation of houses including the influence of cracks, open windows, weather conditions, occupants' behaviour, pollutants and guidelines. Lists conclusions such as an opened window renews the room air within half an hour. 40% of the occupants open windows for too long, 27%ventilate insufficiently, 25% of the dwellings are air tight, 75% leaky. Ventilation occurs partially through shafts (30%) and cracks (60%).Ventilation rates differ considerably between the rooms in a house.Ventilation ducts should have an exhaust function.
Describes an investigation to see what energy saving can be achieved by the regulation of mechanical ventilation systems in high rise buildings. Measures air leakage in a block of flats, and uses a calculation model to predict the amount of energy lost due to ventilation in various situations. Concludes that the reduction of ventilation has no disadvantageous consequences for the operation of the system, and that the extracted air flow is affected more by incorrect adjustment of extractor vents then by opening windows, regardless of the setting of the ventilator.
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