Building tight - ventilating right? How are new air tightness standards affecting indoor air quality in dwellings?

被引:25
作者
Howieson, S. G. [1 ]
Sharpe, T. [2 ]
Farren, P. [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Strathclyde, Fac Engn, Glasgow G4 0NG, Lanark, Scotland
[2] Glasgow Sch Art, Mackintosh Environm Architecture Res Unit, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
关键词
Indoor air quality; air tightness; trickle ventilation; health; asthma; ALLERGENS; ASTHMA; ENERGY;
D O I
10.1177/0143624413510307
中图分类号
TU [建筑科学];
学科分类号
0813 ;
摘要
Building more air-tight dwellings is having a deleterious impact on indoor air quality. In a range of recently completed dwellings CO2 concentrations were measured in occupied bedrooms at unacceptable concentrations (occupied mean peak of 2317 ppm and a time weighted average of 1834 ppm, range 480-4800 ppm). Such high levels confirm that air-tight dwellings with only trickle ventilators as the 'planned' ventilation strategy do not meet the standards demanded by the Building Regulations. Reducing ventilation rates to improve energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions, without providing a planned and effective ventilation strategy is likely to result in a more toxic and hazardous indoor environment, with concurrent and significant negative long-term and insidious impacts on public health. Furthermore, the methodology underpinning the current regulations cannot be considered as creditable. While the complexity around numerical modeling often leads to conclusions based upon simplistic and unrealistic assumptions around all doors in a dwelling being open and trickle ventilators being unobstructed, this paper demonstrates that in 'real life' situations, this is not the case and could lead to significant risks of under ventilation. This is particularly the case when standards and guidance are based upon theoretically modeled scenarios that are not representative of real-life operation. The consequences of this are important in terms of the likely negative impacts on occupant health.
引用
收藏
页码:475 / 487
页数:13
相关论文
共 27 条
  • [1] [Anonymous], 1998, Housing for varying needs standard. Part 1: Houses and flats
  • [2] [Anonymous], HEAT VENT AIR COND R
  • [3] Worldwide variation in prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema:: ISAAC
    Beasley, R
    Keil, U
    von Mutius, E
    Pearce, N
    Aït-Khaled, N
    Anabwani, G
    Anderson, HR
    Asher, MI
    Björkstéin, B
    Burr, ML
    Clayton, TO
    Crane, J
    Ellwood, P
    Lai, CKW
    Mallol, J
    Martinez, FD
    Mitchell, EA
    Montefort, S
    Robertson, CF
    Shah, JR
    Sibbald, B
    Stewart, AW
    Strachan, DP
    Weiland, SK
    Williams, HC
    [J]. LANCET, 1998, 351 (9111) : 1225 - 1232
  • [4] Building Research Establishment, 1992, BREVENT SOFTW
  • [5] Building Research Establishment, 2012, EFF INCR AIR TIGHTN
  • [6] Building Standard (Scotland) Regulations, 2010, DOM TECHN HDB
  • [7] Carrer P, 2008, WP1 FINAL REPORT HLT
  • [8] THE CONTROL OF ALLERGENS OF DUST MITES AND DOMESTIC PETS - A POSITION PAPER
    COLLOFF, MJ
    AYRES, J
    CARSWELL, F
    HOWARTH, PH
    MERRETT, TG
    MITCHELL, EB
    WALSHAW, MJ
    WARNER, JO
    WARNER, JA
    WOODCOCK, AA
    [J]. CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, 1992, 22 : 1 - 28
  • [9] Crump D., 2009, Indoor Air Quality in Highly Energy Efficient Homes - A Review
  • [10] Davis I, 2009, NF9 NHBC FDN