Balancing Reductions in Exposure to VOCs and their Secondary Products Indoors vs. the Infiltration of Outdoor Pollutants

Ventilation and source control (e.g. using low volatile organic compound (VOC) emitting materials) are two recommended approaches to control indoor air pollution and VOC’s in particular. Decisions on how to minimize exposure can be supported by indoor air chemistry modeling, since the relationships between VOC’s, their precursors, and building ventilation is so complex. For example, modeling could be used to examine the impact of altering building ventilation.

Feedback from the AIVC Workshop “Towards high quality, low-carbon ventilation in airtight buildings”

We are happy to inform you that the recordings and slides of the AIVC 2023 workshop “Towards high quality, low-carbon ventilation in airtight buildings” held in Tokyo, Japan on May 18-19 2023 are now available online here.

Check them out and subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive our latest video updates!

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TN 72: Ventilation Requirements and Rationale behind. Standards and Regulations of dwellings, office rooms and classrooms

Many differences exist between countries in the requirements and regulations for ventilation of dwellings, offices, classrooms and other spaces. Sometimes the variation of the ventilation requirements for the same building type between countries is more than a factor of five. There are strong drivers, e.g., climate change, to reduce energy consumption for HVAC and therefore these variations are worth examining. Before reducing ventilation rates, it is critical to understand the reasons behind them.

Proposed Non-infectious Air Delivery Rates (NADR) for Reducing Exposure to Airborne Respiratory Infectious Diseases

In November 2022, the Lancet COVID-19 Commission Task Force on Safe Work, Safe School, and Safe Travel released a report proposing new Non-infectious Air Delivery Rates (NADR) for Reducing Exposure to Airborne Respiratory Infectious Diseases, exceeding the current minimum standards, and aiming to help mitigate infection risk and promote health.

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AIVC 2023 Conference, Copenhagen – 4-5 October, 2023

The  AIVC -TightVent - venticool 2023 Conference: “Ventilation, IEQ and health in sustainable buildings” will be held during 4-5 October 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Abstract submission is still open. Authors should submit their abstracts by March 27, 2023.

Detailed information & other important deadlines for the call for abstracts can be found at: https://aivc2023conference.org/call-for-abstracts-papers/

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Guidance to avoid health risk caused by energy saving measures in homes

Due to extreme increases in energy prices in European countries (as well as other non-European countries), building users may be tempted to take energy saving measures because they can no longer pay their energy bills. This in turn may have adverse effects on the indoor air quality - especially in older and badly insulated homes. This article gives some elementary advice on what people should and shouldn’t do in cold and temperate climates where indoor heating is normally needed in winter.

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Ventilation Challenges in a Changing World (Book of Proceedings)

The Book of Proceedings of the 42nd AIVC - 10th TightVent - 8th venticool Conference: "Ventilation Challenges in a Changing World" held in Rotterdam, Netherlands on 5-6 October 2022

Ventilation Challenges in a Changing World (Slides)

The Presentations at the 42nd AIVC - 10th TightVent - 8th venticool Conference: "Ventilation Challenges in a Changing World" held in Rotterdam, Netherlands on 5-6 October 2022

 

Comparing indoor air quality in naturally ventilated and air-conditioned hospitals in the tropics

Occupant exposure to airborne pathogens in buildings can be reduced by a variety of means, including adequate provision of outdoor air by ventilation. This is particularly important in buildings, such as hospitals, which may house a higher number of infected individuals relative to the wider population. In tropical Africa, however, there is evidence that new hospitals built with air-conditioning to cope with the extreme heat are poorly ventilated compared to existing hospitals that were designed to be naturally ventilated.

Application of Indoor Carbon Dioxide During the COVID- 19 Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations have recommended improved ventilation to reduce the risk of indoor airborne infectious disease transmission. These recommendations include increasing outdoor air rates and filtration efficiencies, as well as verifying that ventilation systems are operating as intended. There have also been many recommendations to monitor indoor CO2 concentrations as indicators of ventilation or infection risk, in some cases with quantitative concentration limits.

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