Estimated fine particulate matter exposure reduction potential for urban population using state of the art building envelopes and ventilation systems : example, Helsinki, Finland

The current analysis is based on the microenvironment concentration data collected fromHelsinki in the EXPOLIS study. The present measured population exposure distribution hasbeen modelled with great accuracy using a validated Monte Carlo simulation framework.Using this same simulation framework we simulate an alternative scenario, where we replace(A) the EXPOLIS measured outdoorindoor penetration distribution which represents the totalbuilding stock in Helsinki with (B) the EXPOLIS monitored outdoorindoor penetrationdistribution from the most modern fraction of the measured building stock. The analysis isdone separately for (a) the exposure to PM2.5 of ambient origin (which is assumed to be themost harmful for health), and for (b) the exposure to total PM2.5 including fine PM fromindoor sources.The results show that the exposure reduction potential using building technology isconsiderable and probably larger than can be achieved by, e.g. transports policies or otherlocal emission controls.