The Canadian Code for Energy Efficiency in New Houses will feature prescribed thermal characteristics of the envelope components of houses. These will be selected primarily on the basis of life cycle cost. A new method was developed to perform the life cycle cost evaluations of energy efficiency options for walls, roofs, windows and basement walls, based on their performance within the energy system of a house. Existing analytic techniques were adapted to perform the energy analysis and life cycle cost calculations.
A field experiment evaluated the effect of a furniture-integrated breathing-zone filtration (BZF) system on indoor air quality, worker comfort, health, and productivity. The BZF system tested filters office air to remove volatile organic compounds and airborne particulates. The BZF system was installed on one floor of a 29 story air-conditioned office building. Another floor of the building served as a control.
In developed and developing countries, indoor air pollution is gaining increasing prominence as a public health problem. Time-activity studies and exposure surveys have shown the dominant contributions of indoor environments to population exposures for many pollutants. Mounting epidemiological evidence documents adverse health effects of indoor pollutants and risk assessments indicate that indoor carcinogens may contribute substantially to the population's burden of lung and other cancers. Unacceptable indoor air quality has also been identified as a common cause of symptoms.
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