Residential air leakage and indoor air quality in Rochester, New York
A sample of 58 occupied homes in Rochester, New York, most of which incorporated special builder-designed weatherization components, were studied to assess (1) the effectiveness of construction techniques designed to reduce air leakage; (2) the indoor air quality and air-exchange rates in selected tight houses; and (3) the impact on indoor air quality of mechanical ventilation systems employing air-to-air heat exchangers. The specific leakage area was measured in each house using the fan pressurization technique. Houses built with polyethylene vapor barriers and joint-sealing were as a group 505 tighter and had a 30% lower overall average heat loss coefficient (W//sup 0/C-m/sup 2/) than a similar group of houses without such components. Mechanical ventilation systems with air-to-air heat exchangers were installed in nine relatively tight houses, some of which had gas stoves and/or tobacco-smoking occupants. Air-exchange rates and indoor concentrations of radon (Rn), formaldehyde (HCHO), nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/), and humidity, were measured in each house for one-week periods with and without mechanical ventilation. More detailed measurements including concentrations of carbon monoxide, and inhalable particulates were made in two of these houses by a mobile laboratory. In all nine houses, air-exchange rates were relatively low without mechanical ventilation, 0.2 to 0.5 ach, and yet indoor concentrations of Rn, HCHO, and NO/sub 2/ were below existing guidelines. Mechanical ventilation systems were effective in increasing air-exchange rates and in further reducing indoor contaminant concentrations. The average sensible effectiveness of the heat exchangers was 0.65 +- 0.16. It was concluded that when contaminant source strengths are low, acceptable indoor air quality can be compatible with low air-exchange rates.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA); Rochester Inst. of Technology, NY (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5089743
- Report Number(s):
- NYSERDA-82-21; ON: DE82021590
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
HOUSES
AIR INFILTRATION
AIR QUALITY
WEATHERIZATION
CARBON MONOXIDE
DIFFUSION BARRIERS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FORMALDEHYDE
GAS APPLIANCES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HUMIDITY
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
OCCUPANTS
PARTICULATES
POLYETHYLENES
RADON
SEALS
VENTILATION
ALDEHYDES
APPLIANCES
BUILDINGS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DATA
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FLUIDS
GASES
INFORMATION
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
320101* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Residential Buildings- (-1987)
291000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Conservation
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety