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This document presents the findings of a scoping study commissioned by the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program of the California Energy Commission to determine what research is necessary to develop new residential ventilation requirements for California. This study is one of three companion efforts needed to complete the job of determining the needs of California, determining residential ventilation requirements, and determining appropriate ventilation technologies to meet these needs and requirements in an energy efficient manner.

The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from structural insulated panel (SIP) materials were investigated. Specimens of newly produced SIPs and associated panel adhesives were obtained from two relatively large manufacturers. Additionally, specimens of the oriented strand board (OSB) used as the inner and outer sheathing and the extruded polystyrene ore for the SIP were obtained from one manufacturer.

A study to measure indoor concentrations and emission rates of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde, was conducted in a new, unoccupied manufactured house installed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) campus. The house was instrumented to continuously monitor indoor temperature and relative humidity, heating and air conditioning system operation, and outdoor weather. It also was equipped with an automated tracer gas injection and detection system to estimate air change rates every 2 h.

Central tendency and upper limit concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) measured in indoor air are summarized and reviewed. Data were obtained from published cross-sectional studies of residential and office buildings conducted in North America from 1990 through the present. VOC concentrations in existing residences reported in 12 studies comprise the majority of the data set. Central tendency and maximum concentrations are compared between new and existing residences and between existing residences and office buildings.

Can lifestyle-based scenarios provide insight into the nature of energy use in our future buildings? Participants in a design charrette brainstormed ideas about the future of US homes and workplaces. The teams started from several descriptions of daily lifestyles, and developed specific building characteristics as the place settings for these narratives. In addition to the characterization of the physical environment, we also speculate as to the forces that would be influential in making these changes. Further reflection was made on the possible unintended consequences of these changes.

The knowledge of how to ventilate buildings, and how much ventilation is necessary for human health and comfort, has evolved over centuries of trial and error. Humans and animals have developed successful solutions to the problems of regulating temperature and removing air pollutants through the use of ventilation. These solutions include ingenious construction methods, such as engineered passive ventilation (termite mounds and passive stacks), mechanical means (wing-powered, fans), and an evolving effort to identify problems and develop solutions.

Hundreds of compounds have been measured in indoor air includingVOCs (volatile organic compounds), NOX (nitrogen oxides) and ozone (O3). However, to date, the only potential sensory irritants to be identified has been formaldehyde. Until recently, most research has focussed on the compounds that are emitted indoors and relatively little attention has been paid to the significance of the reactions that are likely to occur between them, i.e. mixtures.

Human exposure to environmental pollutants occurs via various pathways such as air, drinking water, food, and dermal contact. For many pollutants, especially the volatile ones, air exposure is the dominant pathway. Exposure via air occurs both outdoors and indoors, with diverse types of indoor spaces playing a role, e.g., home, workplace, schools, kindergartens, and passenger cabins of means of transportation.
 

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and emissions from building materials have been over the last decades a major challenge for scientists, industry and consumers. In response to the need for improved consumer protection different kinds of labelling systems for material emissions have been developed in many European countries and by industrial organisations. The main purpose is to protect consumers from exposure to chemical pollutants and resulting adverse health effects (i.e., carcinogenic, teratogenic, irritant) or annoyance by bad odours, which could be caused by chemical emissions from materials.

The aim of this report is to provide information and advice to policy and decision makers, researchers, architects, designers, and manufacturers on strategies for achieving a good balance between good indoor air quality (IAQ) and the rational use of energy in buildings, available guidelines and assessment techniques on energy and IAQ, significant trends for the future with implications for IAQ and the use of energy in buildings; and an indication of current research issues.