sick building syndrome

The existing literature contains strong evidence that characteristics of buildings and indoor environments significantly influence rates of respiratory disease, allergy and asthma symptoms, sick building symptoms, and worker performance. Theoretical considerations, and limited empirical data, suggest that existing technologies and procedures can improve indoor environments in a manner that significantly increases health and productivity.

Air conditioning is often singled out as the main culprit in cases of sick building syndrome, but as Timothy Southfield explains, users need to get their houses in order.

Air conditioning may have economic and health disadvantages, but it does provide protection against future change in functional requirements of buildings, says Professor Patrick O'Sullivan. It will continue to be essential in high density urban areas, but there will be many cases where there is no clear distinction as to the which mode of environmental control, natural or  mechanical, should be adopted            

There is growing evidence that indoor surface pollution is one of the causes of sick building syndrome and that ventilation and air conditioning can exacerbate the problem. Gary Raw of the BRE explains