smoke

During winter periods in four types of newly built terraced dwellings and in apartments of a flatbuilding,the daily behaviour and motivations of the inhabitants with respect to airing and ventilation have been studied. In total the information was obtained from 279 households. A combination of verbal interviews, diaries and technical measurements are used as methods of investigation. On basis of the findings,calculations can be made about air flows in occupied dwellings.

Covers indoor pollutant levels and their health effects in humans and animals for five principal classes of pollutant: radon, microorganisms, passive cigarette smoke, combustion products, and organic compounds. They are examined from viewpoints such as measurement and source characterisation habitat studies, health effects, risk analysis, and future needs.

Effects of vertical shaft venting on smoke movement in tall buildings are examined in order to obtain conditions for minimum smoke filtration into upper floors, stairways, and elevator shafts during fires. Results show that sufficient bottom venting will nearly eliminate flow of air into shafts, while top venting reduces flow from shafts. Either should reduce smoke transfer between levels. Multiple shaft buildings benefit from top ventingsome and bottom venting others, reducing necessary vent size for sufficient ventilation.

A computer analysis of stack effects in a large multi- storey building was performed, comparing the air flow (and consequent hypothetical smoke concentrations at higher floors) with and without a smoke shaft. Additionally, tests were performed on one building using one of two stairwells as a smoke shaft. Results indicate that a smoke shaft can be effective in limiting smoke movement to upper stories, as long as the fire floor is not open to outside air (such as by a broken window), or the smoke shaft is not open to a floor higher than the fire floor.

A comprehensive computer program for the prediction of air flow and smoke migration in the building was applied to the 11 story administration building of the National Bureau of Standards. Natural air leakage rates under various climatic conditions for several ventilation system operations were obtained. The computed results were compared with measured air leakage rate by using the sulphur hexafluoride tracer gas technique. Smoke migration was simulated for the selected pressurization conditions.

Examines four pollutants found in significant amounts in biomass smoke: respirable particulates, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and particulate benzo(a)pyrene, to effect a comparison between tobacco smoke and biomass fuel smoke. Nominal doses of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide are roughly similar. For respirable particulates, smokers receive more than a factor of 10 larger nominal doses. The reverse is true for benzo(a)pyrene.

Provides general information on indoor air pollution sources, the pollutants commonly found indoors and their potential health effects. Contains chapters on formaldehyde and other household contaminants, radon, particulates, combustion products, smoking, energy-efficient buildings, control of indoor air pollutants, air quality in office buildings, and legal and regulatory issues in the USA. Further sources of information are given.