risk

Surface condensation risk is a fact that has to be dealt with when buildings are airtight. Airtight buildings with lower ventilation rates are the result of applying energy saving policies and criteria. Surface condensation risk depends greatly on the ventilation rates, as well as on another factors such as generation of water vapour, climate, envelope components and U value, etc.

A systematic and efficient strategy is needed to assess and manage the potential risks to human health that arise from the manufacture and use of thousands of chemicals.  For both volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), exposure is strongly influenced by the types of materials and products in which the VOC or SVOC occur, the concentration of the VOC or SVOC in the material or product, the way in which the material or product is used or applied indoors, and the ventilation rate within the room or building.

Flame retardants have been used in polymers to reduce the flammability of plastics, building materials,fabric and papers. In recent years, organophosphate flame retardants were used as substitutes forBrominated Flame Retardants. The consume amounts of organophosphate flame retardants in 2001was about 5 times than that of 2000 in Japan. Recently, several studies have shown the carcinogenicityand neurotoxicity of organophosphate flame retardants. Reducing the risk of fire is the main advantageof using organophosphate flame retardants.

The air, particularly the indoor air, contains a considerable burden of unwanted pollution. Overall there may be thousands of pollutants. They are brought in with the outside air or are generated from or within buildings. Most will be present in minute amounts but several will be present in measurable quantities. The reaction of people to the components of this pollution has little to do with toxicological assessment but is more concerned with political responses and media scares.