Car traffic or emissions from heating sources: What is responsible for IAQ?

The quality of indoor air in buildings depends on many factors. Some of these factors have internal sources, and some have external sources. The internal loads of the room include those generated by people: CO2 and moisture emissions from breathing, heat emissions from room equipment: volitale organic compaunds VOC. External sources are, for example, particulate matter present in the air, which is the result of emissions from cars and the burning of fossil fuels. The scientific literature states that car traffic can contribute a large share. However, it seems that this is largely dependent on the location of the building, including in a particular country.
An evaluation of the impact of car traffic on indoor and outdoor air quality was performed in different buildings located in the same district of a large city. Temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration and PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were analyzed. The indoor air quality recorder was located in the room facing the busiest street. The way the room was used was unchanged. The external air quality recorder was located directly in front of the building. In addition to outdoor air, the number and type of vehicles that pass near the building were also recorded. Using the values of specific emissions of pollutants from vehicles of a given type, the number of pollutants emitted was determined in the vicinity of the building.
The analysis of the results addressed mainly the comparison of the concentration of particulate matter in the outside room with the value measured outside and the imposition of the number of cars and the determined emissions. The measurements were carried out over a period of month to eliminate differences in the emission of pollutants from heating sources, which was related to the temperature of the outdoor air.
The results showed that road transport does not have a significant effect on the concentration of pollutants in buildings. A discussion of the results was also held on a review of international studies. It turned out that of Poland a large share in outdoor air pollution has emissions from heat sources, which are caused by the use of nonrenewable fuels to heat houses and apartments. In Poland, there are more than half of the 50 most polluted cities in Europe. This results in increased exposure of people to the negative health effects associated with inhaling air contaminated with particulate matter.
The introduced EU regulations, including EPDB corrections and forcing thermomodernization to reduce heat demand, may result in limiting the use of fossil fuels, which will result in an improvement in the situation. The next step should be to look at the situation with regard to traffic pollution.
Research concerns Poland, where the use of low-efficiency heat sources that burn fossil fuels is a huge problem. The authors are aware that different socioeconomic conditions may occur in different countries.