Building ventilation and indoor air quality
Rising energy prices, among other factors, have generated an incentive to reduce ventilation rates and thereby reduce the cost of heating and cooling buildings. Reduced infiltration and ventilation in buildings may significantly increase exposure to indoor contaminants and perhaps have adverse effects on occupant health and comfort. Four indoor air contaminants - carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from gas appliances; formaldehyde from particleboard, plywood, urea-formaldehyde foam insulation, and gas appliances; and radon from building materials, soil, and ground water - are currently receiving considerable attention in the context of potential health risks associated with reduced infiltration and ventilation rates. These air contaminants in conventional and energy efficient buildings were measured and analyzed with a view to assessing their potential health risks and various control strategies capable of lowering pollutant concentrations. Preliminary findings suggest that further intensive studies are needed in order to develop criteria for maintaining acceptable indoor air quality without compromising energy efficiency.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5506225
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-10391
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BUILDINGS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MONITORING
AIR QUALITY
BUILDING MATERIALS
CARBON MONOXIDE
DATA COMPILATION
ENERGY CONSERVATION
FORMALDEHYDE
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
RADON
SOILS
TABLES
VENTILATION
AIR POLLUTION
ALDEHYDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DATA
DATA FORMS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RARE GASES
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)