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The use of air-recirculation as a determinant of symptoms and perceived air quality among office workers; Palautusilman kaeyttoe toimistorakennuksissa, tyoentekijoeiden oireet ja aistimukset

Abstract

In this study ventilation techniques and experiences in operation and maintenance were collected from 41 randomly selected office buildings in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The prevalence of symptoms and perceptions included in the `sick building syndrome` were also studied along with the connection between them and the circulating of air back to the building and the use of mechanical ventilation. 2678 persons working in the 41 buildings answered a self-administered questionnaire and were the subjects of the study. The characteristics of the selected buildings were studied by interviewing the maintenance personnel, visually checking the ventilating units and by measuring the amount of recirculated air and exhaust air flows in each room in the mechanically ventilated buildings. The vast majority of the buildings included in the study had a mechanical ventilation system, which in many cases involved technical appliances that made considerable demands of knowledge and skills of the operating personnel. More than 25 % of the maintenance personnel lacked some knowledge of the ventilation system, which may cause difficulties in proper operation of the system. The balancing of the ventilation system was also either not done or unsuccessful in several buildings. Even though the average exhaust air flows were adequate,  More>>
Authors:
Jaakkola, J J.K.; [1]  Miettinen, P; Teijonsalo, J; Tuomaala, P; Seppaenen, O [2] 
  1. Helsinki Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Public Health
  2. Helsinki Univ. of Technology, Otaniemi (Finland). Lab. of Heating and Ventilation
Publication Date:
Dec 31, 1993
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
VTT/LVIS2000-20
Reference Number:
SCA: 320107; PA: FI-94:003531; EDB-95:008027; SN: 94001284776
Resource Relation:
Other Information: DN: LVIS2000 Research Programme; PBD: 1993
Subject:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; OFFICE BUILDINGS; VENTILATION; AIR CONDITIONING; AIR QUALITY; HEALTH HAZARDS; VENTILATION SYSTEMS; MAINTENANCE; INDOOR AIR POLLUTION; SPACE HVAC SYSTEMS; RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES; THERMAL COMFORT; 320107; BUILDING SYSTEMS
OSTI ID:
10102520
Research Organizations:
Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo (Finland). Lab. of Heating and Ventilation
Country of Origin:
Finland
Language:
Finnish
Other Identifying Numbers:
Other: ON: DE95717472; ISBN 952-9601-09-3; TRN: FI9403531
Availability:
OSTI; NTIS
Submitting Site:
FI
Size:
62 p.
Announcement Date:
Jun 30, 2005

Citation Formats

Jaakkola, J J.K., Miettinen, P, Teijonsalo, J, Tuomaala, P, and Seppaenen, O. The use of air-recirculation as a determinant of symptoms and perceived air quality among office workers; Palautusilman kaeyttoe toimistorakennuksissa, tyoentekijoeiden oireet ja aistimukset. Finland: N. p., 1993. Web.
Jaakkola, J J.K., Miettinen, P, Teijonsalo, J, Tuomaala, P, & Seppaenen, O. The use of air-recirculation as a determinant of symptoms and perceived air quality among office workers; Palautusilman kaeyttoe toimistorakennuksissa, tyoentekijoeiden oireet ja aistimukset. Finland.
Jaakkola, J J.K., Miettinen, P, Teijonsalo, J, Tuomaala, P, and Seppaenen, O. 1993. "The use of air-recirculation as a determinant of symptoms and perceived air quality among office workers; Palautusilman kaeyttoe toimistorakennuksissa, tyoentekijoeiden oireet ja aistimukset." Finland.
@misc{etde_10102520,
title = {The use of air-recirculation as a determinant of symptoms and perceived air quality among office workers; Palautusilman kaeyttoe toimistorakennuksissa, tyoentekijoeiden oireet ja aistimukset}
author = {Jaakkola, J J.K., Miettinen, P, Teijonsalo, J, Tuomaala, P, and Seppaenen, O}
abstractNote = {In this study ventilation techniques and experiences in operation and maintenance were collected from 41 randomly selected office buildings in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The prevalence of symptoms and perceptions included in the `sick building syndrome` were also studied along with the connection between them and the circulating of air back to the building and the use of mechanical ventilation. 2678 persons working in the 41 buildings answered a self-administered questionnaire and were the subjects of the study. The characteristics of the selected buildings were studied by interviewing the maintenance personnel, visually checking the ventilating units and by measuring the amount of recirculated air and exhaust air flows in each room in the mechanically ventilated buildings. The vast majority of the buildings included in the study had a mechanical ventilation system, which in many cases involved technical appliances that made considerable demands of knowledge and skills of the operating personnel. More than 25 % of the maintenance personnel lacked some knowledge of the ventilation system, which may cause difficulties in proper operation of the system. The balancing of the ventilation system was also either not done or unsuccessful in several buildings. Even though the average exhaust air flows were adequate, more than 25 % of the employees worked in an office with air change below the governmental guideline value of 10 l/s person, in more than half of the buildings. No connection was found between the use of recirculating air and the prevalence of work related symptoms and the perceptions of the employees. In general the prevalence of symptoms connected with the `sick building syndrome` was greater in mechanically than in naturally ventilated buildings}
place = {Finland}
year = {1993}
month = {Dec}
}