VOC

The means for keeping the indoor relative humidity (RH) and pollutant concentration below a threshold level of interests are necessary and essential to improving building performance in terms of indoor air quality (IAQ), energy performance and durability of building materials. In this paper, the similarity between the moisture and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) transport models is applied to study the effect of toluene (a typical VOC) and moisture buffering capacities of a hemp concrete wall on indoor toluene concentration and RH.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) control in educative centres, where students spend most of their time, is essential. The presence of high levels of contaminants can impact the academic performance of the students and, ultimately, their health. A study has been carried out to assess the IAQ of higher education classrooms with natural ventilation in order to quantify the exposure of the occupants to certain contaminants during the cold season. CO2, PM10, PM2.5, PM1.0, and volatile organic compounds (VOC) have been measured.

Climate change is driving the construction sector to use of more environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. Hemp concrete has been recently adopted as an innovative solution by the building industry to reduce emissions, as this material stores more CO2 than the emitted during its production. Part of this storage occurs during its service life leading to a reduction of indoor CO2 levels. CO2 has been widely used as a proxy for evaluating indoor air quality (IAQ).

The IEA EBC Annex 68 project on “Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low Energy Residential Buildings” has been recently completed. The project considered indoor air pollution loads in dwellings, particularly how such pollutants are emitted in dependency of the hygrothermal conditions: temperature, moisture and air flows. Thus, a proper understanding of the mutual interactions between hygrothermal conditions and pollutants was needed to obtain optimal paradigms for demand-controlled ventilation.

HVAC systems in newly built or extensively renovated dwellings were all developed with the aim for energy saving with equal or better comfort. However, these systems (floor heating and DCV systems) have certain characteristics which increase the emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and give VOCs the chance to accumulate to higher concentrations. This interaction is investigated based on dynamic simulations using a temperature and humidity dependent VOC emission model. 

Since the turn of the century, alarming data produced by the Indoor Air Quality Observatory (OQAI) have led to changes in French legislation, including, most notably, the introduction of compulsory labelling for construction products (decree no. 2011-321 of 23 March 2011).

In order to clarify the association between indoor environmental factors and children’s health problems, indoor air quality was investigated during the winter and rainy seasons in Japan. The total of 209 houses was classified into case and control groups whether the child have allergy symptom or not. The number of the houses in case and control groups is 133 and 76, respectively. This survey included measurement of indoor temperature, humidity, the pollution of chemical compound and mite allergen (Der 1). These measurements were conducted in the living room and children’s room.

Furniture can raise indoor air contaminants with toxic emissions of VOC and formaldehyde.. While furniture is classified as a subject of safety and has quality labeling, there is a lack of domestic regulations related to contaminant emissions with the exception of sinks. When looking at the analysis on environment-related patients related to the smell or odors from furniture every year, patients suffering from asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis are on the rise.

In this paper, a long-term numerical study which examines the unique airflow pattern and the corresponding VOC distribution within a typical apartment building in the severe cold region of China is described. A VOC model was developed to simulate the time-dependent emission rates with adsorption and desorption. This model was then integrated with COMIS, a multi-zone airflow model. The target VOC for study was benzene. The results show various downward tendencies for benzene concentrations in all the dwellings.

Outbreaks of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) first gained attention in the 1970s in the USA, with thedevelopment of more energy-efficient buildings that depend on mechanical ventilation systems tocirculate fresh air, as well as to control air temperature and sometimes humidity.SBS at office building and so on is not such a severe problem, but, a similar syndrome has beenrecently reported with increasing frequency in airtight new houses in Japan, that is, Sick HouseSyndrome (SHS). We have conducted the survey concerning SHS in Fukushima city, northeast area ofJapan since 2003.