MitigatingExposuretoIndoorAirPollutantsinHousesUsingVentilationStrategiesandLimitations
DrBenjaminJonesAssistantProfessor
WhatisVentilation?PurposeProvidedVentilation AdventitiousInfiltration
PollutantTypesandExposureMechanismsTypes:1. BiologicalParticulates2. Non-BiologicalParticulates3. Gases&Vapours
Mechanisms:1. Inhalation2. Dermally3. Ingestion
PollutantBehaviours
SourceControl
“Ifthereisapileofmanureinaspace,donottrytoremovetheodourbyventilation.Removethepileofmanure.”AttributedtoMaxVonPettenkofer
Fanger PO.WhatisIAQ?IndoorAir.2006;16:328-34.
TargetedVentilation
VentilationforDilution
VentilationforFlowDirectionControl
Bad Better
AirCleaning
Siegel JA. Primary and secondary consequences of indoorair cleaners. Indoor Air. 2016;26:88-96.
• 0.5h-1 isahealththresholdrule-of-thumb
• Weestimateupto79%ofdwellingshaveandair-changerateof<0.5h-1
• Theseall requireextraventilation
Average heating season infiltration rate
Jones B, Das P, Chalabi Z, Davies M, Hamilton I, Lowe R, et al. Assessing UncertaintyIn Housing Stock Infiltration Rates And Associated Heat Loss: English And UK CaseStudies. Building and Environment. 2015;92:645-56.
Whenandhowmuch?
Borsboom W, De Gids W, Logue J,Sherman M, Wargocki P. TechnicalNote AIVC 68: Residential Ventilationand Health. Air Infiltration andVentilation Centre, Brussels Belgium.2016.
Whichpollutants?
WhatdotheEnglishBuildingRegulationsSay?
Summary• Ventilationisamechanismformitigatingexposuretoindoorpollutantsbutithas
limits• Ventilationhealthbenefitsandenergycostsareinconflict• Beforeventilating,sourcecontrolmust bepracticedfirst• Weshouldonlyprovideenoughventilationtodeliveracceptable airquality• Todothis,weneedmoreinformationtoidentify
• concentrationsofknownpollutantsinUKhouses• concentration-responserelationships• householdpresenceandbehaviour• sourcestrengthsofbuildingmaterialsandhouseholderactivities(e.g.cooking)• appropriatepollutantmarkersandsensors
