scholarly journals Indoor Air Pollution in Housing Units

2021 ◽  
Vol 1203 (2) ◽  
pp. 022071
Author(s):  
Ingrid Juhasova Senitkova ◽  
Michal Kraus
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Indoor Radon ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Air Change Rate ◽  
Housing Units

Abstract Pollution and poor quality of the indoor environment is a common problem in today's residential buildings. These problems are reflected in the well-being and health of the users of these buildings. Targeted identification of the various harmful substances (pollutants) is essential for understanding the interactions of components of the internal environment for the welfare and health of building users. The Czech housing units were selected for screening investigation of indoor air quality. Measuring of indoor chemical factors was performed during the year 2019. The indoor levels of TVOC, nitrogen oxides, indoor radon, and particulate matters PM10 were measured. The results provide introduce data on indoor air quality concerning seasonal changes which were in correlation to air change rate. These results, introduced in this paper, help to understand the indoor pollutants occurrence and help to design next more focused studies.

scholarly journals Quality of life control by selected methods of air exchange in a typical apartment building

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iveta Bullová ◽  
Peter Kapalo ◽  
Dušan Katunský
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Allergic Diseases ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Indoor Climate ◽  
Apartment Building ◽  
Change Rate ◽  
Air Change Rate ◽  
Negative Effect

Air change rate is an important parameter for quantification of ventilation heat losses and also affects the indoor climate of buildings. Indoor air quality is significantly associated with ventilation. If air change isn't sufficient, trapped allergens, pollutants and irritants can degrade the indoor air quality and affect the well-being of a building's occupants. Many studies on ventilation and health have concluded that lower air change rates can have a negative effect on people’s health and low ventilation may result in an increase in allergic diseases. Quantification of air change rate is complicated, since it is affected by a number of parameters, of which the one of the most variable is the air-wind flow. This study aims to determination and comparison of values of the air change rate in two methods - by quantifying of aerodynamic coefficient Cp = Cpe - Cpi – so called aerodynamic quantification of the building and the methodology based on experimental measurements of carbon dioxide in the selected reference room in apartment building.

scholarly journals Analysis of the need of detailed modelling for the assessment of indoor air quality in residential buildings

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 04043
Author(s):  
Louis Cony-Renaud-Salis ◽  
Nouamane Belhaj ◽  
Olivier Ramalho ◽  
Marc Abadie
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Ventilation System ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Good Alternative ◽  
Specific Care

Home represents an important part of the time spent indoors and is the emblematic place of a family need, e.g. well-being, comfort and safety. In France, health agencies provide information and raise the awareness of the public on health risks and on factors likely to affect the quality of indoor air. However, indoor air quality remains difficult to assess for health investigators. A solution would be to resort to field measurements, but they are expensive and hard to apply to a large-scale population when considering the numerous pollutants found indoors. Therefore, numerical simulation represents a good alternative when accurate and realistic input data are used. We already designed such a model of a dwelling prototype using a type 98 coupling procedure between CONTAM (airflow rates and pollutants concentration determination) and TRNSYS (thermal and moisture calculation). We paid a lot of attention to the details that we thought were important: dwelling multi-zonal representation, envelope airtightness, ventilation system elements (pressure driven inlet and outlet, ducts, fan characteristics), presence of furniture, people activity and location… Nevertheless, the design of this simulation requires a very specific care. This very last point naturally induces a debate: is it necessary to design the simulation to be as accurate and realistic as it actually is, or will a simpler model provide similar results? In this study, we aim to answer that question by evaluating the sensitivity of the ULR-IAQ multipollutant index, defined in a previous study, to different levels of modelling complexity.

scholarly journals Assessment of Indoor Air Quality in Otorhinolaryngology Clinics

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
pp. 458-462
Author(s):  
Kang Hyun Lee ◽  
Dong-Kyu Kim
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Quality Level ◽  
Total Volatile Organic Compounds

Background and Objectives Otorhinolaryngology clinics are frequently exposed to various air pollutants. This can have a potentially harmful effect on the health of the healthcare personnel. However, there is still a lack of studies on the assessment of indoor air quality in otorhinolaryngology clinics. Therefore, this study aimed to measure indoor air quality in otorhinolaryngology clinics.Subjects and Method In this study, we prospectively measured indoor air quality indices [particulate matter (PM), carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), total volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PM2.5, Nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone] using portable passive air quality monitoring sensors in otorhinolaryngology clinics.Results The mean concentrations of PM, CO<sub>2</sub>, VOCs, and NO<sub>2</sub> were significantly higher during office hours than after; however, there was no significant differences in CO and ozone concentration between the two time periods. The proportions of tolerable to poor-quality (exceeding acceptable level) levels of CO<sub>2</sub>, total VOCs, NO<sub>2</sub> was 25%, 25%, 12.5% during office hours, respectively. On the other hand, there was no proportion of tolerable to poor-quality level of PM, CO, ozone during office hours.Conclusion We found that otorhinolaryngology clinics are easily exposed to ambient indoor air pollution. Therefore, we suggest implement health-related protective strategies for ambient indoor air pollution in otorhinolaryngology clinics may be needed for healthcare personnel.

scholarly journals Indoor Air Quality in Passivhaus Dwellings: A Literature Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (13) ◽  
pp. 4749 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Moreno-Rangel ◽  
Tim Sharpe ◽  
Gráinne McGill ◽  
Filbert Musau
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Housing Design ◽  
The Impact

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical consideration in airtight buildings that depend on mechanical ventilation, such as those constructed to the Passivhaus standard. While previous reviews of IAQ on Passivhaus-certified buildings foccused on offices, this study examines residential buildings. A summary of data collection methods and pollutant concentrations is presented, followed by a critical discussion of the impact of Passivhaus design strategies on IAQ. This review indicates that IAQ in Passivhaus-certified dwellings is generally better than in conventional homes, but both occupant behaviour and pollution from outdoor sources play a significant role in indoor concentrations. Moreover, there are differences in data collection and reporting methods. Many of the available studies depend on short-term IAQ monitoring of less than two weeks, making it difficult to determine the longer impact of housing design on IAQ and occupants’ well-being. There is also a lack of studies from non-European countries. Future research should focus on investigating associations between IAQ and Passivhaus design strategies in hot and humid climates, where evidence is particularly lacking. Further effort is also required to investigate potential links between occupant’s perception of IAQ and physical exposure to indoor pollution. Finally, the lack of homogeneous monitoring and reporting methods for IAQ studies needs to be addressed.

scholarly journals Challenges of the Facilities Management and Effects on Indoor Air Quality. Case Study “Smelly Buildings” in Belgrade, Serbia

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Milena Vukmirovic ◽  
Alenka Temeljotov Salaj ◽  
Andrej Sostaric
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Simple Task ◽  
Negative Impacts

One of the key objectives and challenges nowadays is to live in safe and healthy cities. Accordingly, maintaining good air quality is one of the preconditions for achieving this goal, which is not a simple task given the various negative impacts. This paper deals with a phase of the construction process that is a cause of extreme indoor air pollution in the newly built facilities of the Dr Ivan Ribar settlement in Belgrade, popularly known as “smelly buildings.” Indoor air pollution is observed from the aspect of indoor air quality (IAQ) prevention and facilities management (FM) in order to define recommendations for future prevention of these and similar situations. The research indicates the existence of specific sources of indoor pollutants, as well as the need to pay special attention to indoor air as an aspect that affects the health, comfort and well-being of individuals who permanently or temporarily use a particular space, and to point out additional costs. The paper will also consider the potential of the FM approach in preventing negative issues related to IAQ, especially in the field of public construction and social and affordable housing.

scholarly journals Indoor Air Quality: Assessment of Dangerous Substances in Incense Products

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 8086
Author(s):  
Gabriela Ventura Silva ◽  
Anabela O. Martins ◽  
Susana D. S. Martins
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Gaseous Emissions ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Cone Type ◽  
Guideline Values ◽  
Taking Action ◽  
At Home

Indoor air pollution has obtained more attention in a moment where “stay at home” is a maximum repeated for the entire world. It is urgent to know the sources of pollutants indoors, to improve the indoor air quality. This study presents some results obtained for twelve incense products, used indoors, at home, and in temples, but also in spa centers or yoga gymnasiums, where the respiratory intensity is high, and the consequences on health could be more severe. The focus of this study was the gaseous emissions of different types of incense, performing a VOC screening and identifying some specific VOCs different from the usual ones, which are known or suspected to cause severe chronic health effects: carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic. Thirteen compounds were selected: benzene, toluene, styrene, naphthalene, furfural, furan, isoprene, 2-butenal, phenol, 2-furyl methyl ketone, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein. The study also indicated that incense cone type shows a higher probability of being more pollutant than incense stick type, as from the 12 products tested, four were cone type, and three of them were in the group of the four higher polluters. Benzene and formaldehyde presented worrying levels in the major part of the products, above guideline values established by the WHO. Unfortunately, there are no limit values established for indoor air for all the compounds studied, but this fact should not exempt us from taking action to alert the population to the potential dangers of using those products. From this study, acetaldehyde, acrolein, furfural, and furan emerge as compounds with levels to deserve attention.

scholarly journals The Improvement of Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings in Dubai, UAE

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 250
Author(s):  
Chuloh Jung ◽  
Jihad Awad
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Field Survey ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Radon Gas ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
Residential Projects

Due to unprecedented urbanization, UAE had built many new residential projects with poor choices of material and ventilation. This social phenomenon is leading UAE to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) faster than any other countries. The Dubai Municipality regulates the indoor air quality with strict stipulation, but the detailed regulations are still insufficient. The objective of this paper is to measure the indoor air quality of new residential projects in Dubai to suggest the improvement of the regulations for indoor air quality. As a methodology, a field survey was conducted to investigate the status of indoor air pollution in residential buildings. Based on the field survey data, lab experiments for building materials were conducted and a computer simulation on radon gas was conducted. The result had shown that radon gas was mainly detected in new townhouses and labor camp houses, and its concentration was found to exceed the standard. Volatile organic solvents (VOCs) and formaldehyde (CH2O) were mainly detected in showhouses and new townhouses, and the concentration distribution was about 10 times higher than that of outdoors. It was proven that emission concentration of radon gas from various building materials were detected, and the order was red clay, gypsum board, and concrete. Volatile organic solvents (VOCs) are mainly detected in oil paints and PVC floor and the radiation amount of all pollutants increased with temperature increase. In computer simulation, it was found that a new townhouse needs a grace period from 20 days to 6 months to lower the radon gas concentration by 2 pCi/L. This study will serve as a basic data to establish more detailed regulation for the building materials and improve the IAQ standards in Dubai.

The impact of mechanical ventilation operation strategies on indoor CO2 concentration and air exchange rates in residential buildings

2020 ◽  
pp. 1420326X2096076
Author(s):  
Pedro F. Pereira ◽  
Nuno M. M. Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Ventilation ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Exchange Rates ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Ventilation Strategy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mechanical Extraction ◽  
Air Exchange

In Portugal, residential buildings commonly have their ventilation strategy changed after commissioning. This occurs due to the building managers' willingness to reduce shared costs with the electricity needed for fan operation. However, this option is not technically supported, and the effects of such a strategy on indoor air quality-related to human pollutants are yet to be quantified. CO2 was monitored in 15 bedrooms and air exchange rates were calculated for each room. The air exchange rate values ranged from 0.18 to 0.53 h−1 when mechanical extraction ventilation was off, and from 0.45 to 0.90 h−1 when mechanical extraction ventilation was on, which represents an average increase of 119%. With the current intermittent ventilation strategy, all rooms remain above 1500 ppm for a given percentage of time, and 12 rooms presenting CO2 concentrations above 2000 ppm. Simulations of theoretical CO2 concentrations, for a non-interrupted mechanical ventilation strategy show that no rooms would accumulate CO2 concentrations above 2000 ppm, and only 25% would present CO2 concentrations above 1500 ppm. Pearson correlations between the monitored CO2 and human and spatial factors identified two relevant parameters. Those parameters correspond to ratios between CO2 generation and floor area ([Formula: see text]), and airflow with CO2 generation ([Formula: see text]). The proposed ratios could be used as ways to optimise ventilation costs and indoor air quality.

scholarly journals Remote Work and the Environment: Exploratory Analysis of Indoor Air Quality of Commercial Offices and the Home Office

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamrie Sarnosky ◽  
Mark Benden ◽  
Leslie Cizmas ◽  
Annette Regan ◽  
Garett Sansom
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
Total Volatile Organic Compounds

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated an already existing trend of individuals increasingly working remotely. With the growing popularity of remote working, specifically in a home office, there is a critical need to better understand and characterize the potential environmental differences between these two spaces. Indoor air pollution can have adverse health effects and impair cognitive functioning. Methods: This small pilot cohort study (N=22) recruited home and office workers to better understand the indoor air quality between these spaces. Air contaminants collected and assessed included PM10 and PM2.5, carbon dioxide (CO2), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). Results: Findings showed a strong statistically significant increase in all measured variables within homes in comparison to traditional offices (p<0.001). For instance, The mean PM2.5 level in the traditional office space was 1.93 µg/m3 whereas it was more than twice this amount (5.97 µg/m3) in home offices.Conclusion: These results indicate that those who work from home are at increased risk due to longer exposures to higher levels of certain contaminants, the importance to better develop interventions to mitigate this reality is underscored by the fact that many workers will be moving to home-based offices in the coming years.

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