Visit from the Icelandic Architect Association Indoor environment Lars Gunnarsen Danish Building Research Institute.

Visit from the Icelandic Architect Association

Indoor environment

Lars GunnarsenDanish Building Research Institute

Indoo

r cl

imate

rese

arc

h

Pleasure

Comfort

Produktivity

Sickliness

Avoidance of dangersReproduction possible

Cumulative chart of time spent at home for different age groups

Danes spend in average 16.3 hours at home on a weekday

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90

100

242220181614121086420

Average number of hours at home per weekday

Pe

rso

ns

(%

)

16-24 25-44 45-66 67-79 80+

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60

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0 50 100 150 200

Area per occupant (m2 /person)

Pe

rso

ns

(%

)

Cumulative chart of dwelling area

Average dwelling area is 48,9m2 per person and 123,9m2

per household

Introduction Cost of the indoor climate 2500 euro/m2. Half of all investments

Building envelope Volume/surface: 0.5 m. Many microclimates

Ventilation 0.5-5 h-1. 0.3 – 3 l/s m2 floor

Adverse effects of the indoor climate contra its protective effects

Intake fractions (single person) An apple 80% A cigarette (the smoker) 30% Air pollution from candle 0.01% Air pollution from car in street 0.00000001% Air pollution from power plant 10 -14

Definitions

The definition of Health:

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

•Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States

Indoor climate is here defined as:

All building related exposures that may impact the health of building occupants

Indoor air

O2: 20,85 %

CO2: 0,035%

H2O: 1,3%

(Volume)

Exhalation air:

O2: 15,3 %

CO2: 3,6%

H2O: 6,2%

(volume)

Produktion:

CO2: 17 l/h

H2O: 0,07 kg/h

Sensibel varme: 100 W

Consumption:

Indoor air: 375 l/h

(10,8 kg/døgn)

O2: 20,6 l/h

Adult human in sedentary activity(1,2 met)

Lars Gunnarsen

Annoyance, symptomsand diseases

Poor indoor climate may result in annoyance and symptoms.

Infectious diseases may to some degree be prevented by effective ventilation and large indoor space per occupant.

Some indoor exposures impact the suffering of people with astma and allergy but the knowledge about importance of the indoor exposures for acquiring the diseases is rudimentary.

At least four exposures indoor may lead to cancer. They are radon, environmental tobacco smoke, other combustion products and formaldehyde.

Cardiovascular diseases may be developed as a result of exposure to environmental smoke and high levels of particle pollution. Noise and probably poor lighting may give stress that also may lead to cardiovascular diseases.

Productivity is low in a poor indoor climate.

Annoyances, symptoms and diseases

Annoyance within last 14 days

At home

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Noise from neighbors

Cold at feet

Noise from traffic

Temperature too high or low

Draft

Odor or stale air

Noise from installations

Vibrations

Dwelling too dark

Noise from industry

Bad drinking water

Static electricity

Infra- or low frequency sound

Skin irritation from hot water

At least one

Annoyed (%)

Little or much annoyed

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Noise in room

Dry air

Stale air

Tobacco smoke

Changing temperatures

Dust/dirt

Noise from other rooms

Draft

Little space

Static electricity

Bad illumination

High temperature

Unpleasant odor

Low temperature

Glare

Cold at feet

Noise from outside

Annoyed (%)

Several times per week or daily

At work

Symptoms last 14 days – At homeBrauer og Mikkelsen, 2002

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Dry skin

Stuffy/runny nose

Lethargy

Headache

Nose irritation

Cough

Eye irritation

Blushing face

Throat irritation

Difficulties concentrating

Wheeze

Hoarseness

Difficulties breathing

Prevalence (%)

Symptoms last 14 days – At workBrauer og Mikkelsen, 2002

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Dry skin

Stuffy/runny nose

Lethargy

Headache

Nose irritation

Cough

Eye irritation

Blushing face

Throat irritation

Difficulties concentrating

Wheeze

Hoarseness

Difficulties breathing

Prevalence (%)

Indoor airborne exposures

• Radon

• Human bioeffluents

• Chemical substances

• Odors

• Asbestos

• Tobacco smoke

• Particles from indoor sources (High temperature surfaces, candles,

cooking)

• Particles from outside

• Allergens of indoor origin (House dust mites, furred animals, moulds)

• Allergens from outside (pollen)

• Viruses and bacteria

Impact of outdoor sources forparticle exposure indoor

1.

2.

3.

4.

0,0001 0,001 0,01 0,1 1 10 100 1000

Gas stove

Vira

Gasoline exhausts

Tobacco smoke

Diesel exhaust

Heated dust

Oxidation of chemicals

Fry fume

Bacteria spores

Wood stoves

Road abbration

Fungi spores

Bacteria

Cat allergene

House dust mite allergene

Pollen

Hair

Particle size (µm)Ångstrøm millimeter

Indoor air

O2: 20,85 %

CO2: 0,035%

H2O: 1,3%

(Volume)

exhalation air:

O2: 15,3 %

CO2: 3,6%

H2O: 6,2%

(volume)

Produktion:

CO2: 17 l/h

H2O: 0,07 kg/h

Sensibel varme: 100 W

Consumption:

Indoor air: 375 l/h

(10,8 kg/døgn)

O2: 20,6 l/h

Adult human in sedentary activity(1,2 met)

Lars Gunnarsen

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50

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Ventilation rate (l/s pers)

Dis

sati

sfie

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%)

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70

0 50 100 150

Ventilation (m3/cigarette)

Dis

sati

fied

(%

)

Choosing construction products

Only fo

r outd

oor use

Humidity, mould and mites

0 1 2 3None Weak Some Large

Mould odor None Weak Some Poverfull

Visible mould 0 m2 < 0,25 m2 0,25-3 m2 > 3 m

Hidden mould < 0,5 m2 1-3 m2 3-10 m2 < 10 m2

Mould growth in adjoining rooms - - - -

Growth in ventilation systems - - - -

Meget støv - - - -

Samlet - - - -

Risk of eksposure to mould

Humid air

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25

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Temperature (oC)

Ab

so

lute

mo

istu

re (

g/k

g)

100%RH

20%RH

40%RH

60%RH

80%RH

Risk perception

General recommendations

Poor indoor climate may increase the risk of attracting infectious diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and maybe allergy

Avoid moisturizing construction products for a prolonged time

Smoking should not take place indoors

Outdoor paints and other construction products containing fungicides should not be used indoors

Persons suffering from allergies in particular suffer from a poor indoor climate.

When selecting construction products it is important to select products with low emissions both of odorous compounds but also of other adverse chemical compounds

Many ventilation systems should be better operated and maintained.

Authorities are recommended to immediately prioritize the following:

Targeted information campaigns about behavior to obtain good indoor air quality

Improved guidelines for monitoring of the indoor climate quality especially in homes

To identify homes with especially high radon concentrations and to reduce the exposure

To investigate the need for reduction of the exposure to formaldehyde, benzene and carbon dioxide in the indoor climate.

We need new knowledge about how the indoor climate affects us especially in the following fields

We need a major investigation of the importance for public heath of the indoor climate in dwellings

We need to develop new knowledge about the possibilities for reducing the annoyance caused by ventilation systems

We need to examine the health effects of exposure to particles indoors from ventilation and the possibilities for reduction of this exposure

Complex exposures related to building technology that may indicate increased risk of ill health

• Dampness

• Ventilation systems

• Building envelope

Dwellings

Open plan offices

Ventilation

Particles

Asthma and allergy

Dampness

Hot issues