energy conservation and indoor air quality
(IAQ) must be maintained to provide the occupants with a healthy indoor environment. CO 2
can be used as general indicator of indoor air
quality (IAQ) and ventilation rate, as low ventilation rates will cause the accumulation of
CO 2 as well as other pollutants. CO 2 sensors
are often used in demand controlled ventilation
to control bioeffluents from humans. A stable
level of 850 ppm of CO 2 should be sufficient
for a healthy indoor environment and could be
provided by a ventilation rate of 10 l/s per
person.
Particulate Matter (PM) Particulate matter is a
conglomeration of molecules in the liquid and/or
solid phase occurring, together with gas, in an
aerosol. PM is typically characterized according
to mass and aerodynamic diameter. PM 10 is
defined as the total mass density (mg/m
3
) of all
particulates with an aerodynamic diameter 10 mm, PM 2.5 is a measure of all particulates with an aerodynamic diameter 2.5 mm,
and ultrafine particles (UFP) are particles with an
aerodynamic diameter 0.1 mm.
Primary and Secondary Pollutants Primary
pollutants are pollutants directly emitted from
a source. Secondary pollutants are formed in
situ from primary pollutants.
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) A situation in
which people who spend time indoors feel
unwell and suffer from symptoms including
throat irritation, difficulty breathing, runny
nose, sneezing, headache, dizziness, difficulty
concentrating, and nausea. The severity of
symptoms often increases with the amount of
time spent in the building.
Technosphere The technosphere is the part of
the environment modified by technology and
includes buildings, vehicles, and public infrastructure like the subway and highways.
Humans spend the majority of their time in
the technosphere.
Terpenes A class of hydrocarbons of biological
origin with a skeletal structure derived from
isoprene. Of particular concern in the indoor
environment are monoterpenes like pinene,
limonene, linanool, and menthol, used as
scents, e.g., in cleaning agents.
Ventilation Rate The flow of outdoor air into a
space resulting in removal or dilution of indoor
air pollutants. Given in units of volume
per time or air exchanges per hour.
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) are organic
chemicals that have a high vapor pressure
(boiling point below 250
C) at room temperature. There are many VOCs, both natural and
man-made, including most scents and odors.
Many VOCs are regulated by law due to their
health impacts [4].
Definition
Humans have practically become an indoor species, spending up to 87% of their time in buildings. The technosphere has thus become the most
important environment when it comes to air pollution exposure. Following the oil crisis in the
1970s, buildings have become better sealed, in
order to minimize energy use. This development
led to lower ventilation rates, and accumulation of
indoor air pollution. Strategies have been
implemented to ensure sufficient indoor air quality for people in buildings. This chapter gives an
overview of indoor air pollution – its sources,
sinks, health effects, and remediation methods.
Introduction
Shelter is one of humanity’s most basic requirements and our species is unique in having mastered the use of fire for heat and cooking food. The
first people to discover that indoor air quality
matters were probably the cave dwellers.
Research shows that cave dwellers addressed the
problem by placing their fires at the entrance, to
increase ventilation of smoke [5]. In the modern
world, people spend the majority of their time
indoors; at work or at home. According to one
study, up to 87% of our time is spent indoors,
which makes the technosphere the key environment in terms of pollution exposure; modern man
is basically an indoor species [6]. Even though we
spend this amount of time indoors, many studies
136
Indoor Air Quality: Status and Standards
(IAQ) must be maintained to provide the occupants with a healthy indoor environment. CO 2
can be used as general indicator of indoor air
quality (IAQ) and ventilation rate, as low ventilation rates will cause the accumulation of
CO 2 as well as other pollutants. CO 2 sensors
are often used in demand controlled ventilation
to control bioeffluents from humans. A stable
level of 850 ppm of CO 2 should be sufficient
for a healthy indoor environment and could be
provided by a ventilation rate of 10 l/s per
person.
Particulate Matter (PM) Particulate matter is a
conglomeration of molecules in the liquid and/or
solid phase occurring, together with gas, in an
aerosol. PM is typically characterized according
to mass and aerodynamic diameter. PM 10 is
defined as the total mass density (mg/m
3
) of all
particulates with an aerodynamic diameter 10 mm, PM 2.5 is a measure of all particulates with an aerodynamic diameter 2.5 mm,
and ultrafine particles (UFP) are particles with an
aerodynamic diameter 0.1 mm.
Primary and Secondary Pollutants Primary
pollutants are pollutants directly emitted from
a source. Secondary pollutants are formed in
situ from primary pollutants.
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) A situation in
which people who spend time indoors feel
unwell and suffer from symptoms including
throat irritation, difficulty breathing, runny
nose, sneezing, headache, dizziness, difficulty
concentrating, and nausea. The severity of
symptoms often increases with the amount of
time spent in the building.
Technosphere The technosphere is the part of
the environment modified by technology and
includes buildings, vehicles, and public infrastructure like the subway and highways.
Humans spend the majority of their time in
the technosphere.
Terpenes A class of hydrocarbons of biological
origin with a skeletal structure derived from
isoprene. Of particular concern in the indoor
environment are monoterpenes like pinene,
limonene, linanool, and menthol, used as
scents, e.g., in cleaning agents.
Ventilation Rate The flow of outdoor air into a
space resulting in removal or dilution of indoor
air pollutants. Given in units of volume
per time or air exchanges per hour.
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) are organic
chemicals that have a high vapor pressure
(boiling point below 250
C) at room temperature. There are many VOCs, both natural and
man-made, including most scents and odors.
Many VOCs are regulated by law due to their
health impacts [4].
Definition
Humans have practically become an indoor species, spending up to 87% of their time in buildings. The technosphere has thus become the most
important environment when it comes to air pollution exposure. Following the oil crisis in the
1970s, buildings have become better sealed, in
order to minimize energy use. This development
led to lower ventilation rates, and accumulation of
indoor air pollution. Strategies have been
implemented to ensure sufficient indoor air quality for people in buildings. This chapter gives an
overview of indoor air pollution – its sources,
sinks, health effects, and remediation methods.
Introduction
Shelter is one of humanity’s most basic requirements and our species is unique in having mastered the use of fire for heat and cooking food. The
first people to discover that indoor air quality
matters were probably the cave dwellers.
Research shows that cave dwellers addressed the
problem by placing their fires at the entrance, to
increase ventilation of smoke [5]. In the modern
world, people spend the majority of their time
indoors; at work or at home. According to one
study, up to 87% of our time is spent indoors,
which makes the technosphere the key environment in terms of pollution exposure; modern man
is basically an indoor species [6]. Even though we
spend this amount of time indoors, many studies
136
Indoor Air Quality: Status and Standards