Building products have been shown to affect the perceived indoor air quality in buildings. Consequently, there is a need for characterizing the emissions from building products in sensory terms to evaluate their impact on the perceived air quality. Determining the exposure-response relationship between concentration of the emission from a building product and human response is recommended. A practical method is proposed based on an air-dilution system connected to the exhaust of a ventilated small-scale test chamber.
The author maintains that the testing methodology of ASHRAE 62-1989R, mired in a swamp of controversy and "continuous maintenance," may need some fresh air.
The need for energy efficient buildings is outlined, and the principal issues relating to commercial developments are discussed. The importance of natural cooling is highlighted, and the associated principle are examined. Some ways in which this can be achieved in conventional steel framed construction are presented. The suggestions include passive systems which rely simply on exposing sufficient thermal capacity of the building fabric, and active systems which provide greater control and improved performance. They represent an application of technology for sustainable development.
The paper describes small scale wind tunnel experiments on the dispersion of contaminants discharged from the bottom of courtyards and other enclosed spaces. The experiments covered a range of courtyards with ratios of depth to width from 5- (consistent with light wells and other very deep cavities) down to 0.1 (consistent with shallow enclosed squares and piazzas that are frequently found in the urban environment).
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