Impact of Reduced Infiltration and Ventilation on Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings

摘要

The levels of air contaminants inside buildings are often higher than ambient outdoor levels. Interest in conserving energy has been motivating home-owners and builders to reduce infiltration rates in residential buildings and builders to reduce ventilation rates in institutional and commercial buildings. However, the resulting decrease of indoor/outdoor air exchange will tend to increase the concentration of many indoor air pollutants. Three indoor contaminants-nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves, formaldehyde from particleboard and urea-formaldehyde foam insulation, and radon from various building materials-are currently receiving considerable attention in the context of the potential health risks that are associated with reduced infiltration and ventilation rates. It is likely that some increased health risk will accompany an increase in indoor contaminant exposure; hence, it is desirable not to allow these concentrations to rise above human tolerance levels. There are several possible ways of circumventing increased health risks without compromising energy conservation considerations. (ERA citation 04:023627)