Study of the indoor air quality in offices building

The main objective of our study was to know more about indoor air quality in offices building over a long period. Our study has been carried out in one building located downtown Lyon (France). Measurements have been carried out one day each month during a one year period. Indoor air quality in the offices along with the one of air flows of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) installation (outdoor air, blown air and returned air) has been characterised by temperature and relative humidity of air, dust concentration level, air biocontamination and CO2 concentrations.

Moisture accumulation in imperfect hydraulic contact building materials

This paper presents the results of a series of specially designed experiments to study moisture transport across bonded or natural contact interfaces between building materials. The results showed that the bonded or natural contact interfaces between aerated concrete and mortar are imperfect hydraulic contact. In addition, all the tested cases were simulated using a numerical model. The results showed that there was good agreement between experimental results and predictions made by the model.

Moisture transport across imperfect hydraulic contact interface - A parametric study

Material properties, water vapor permeability, sorption/suction isotherm and moisture diffusivity, are prerequisite for application of all hygrothermal models. Based on the experimental results and well-determined material properties, a numerical model was validated. This model was then used to analyze the sensitivities of the moisture flow across imperfect hydraulic contact interface with respect to these three material properties.

Development of a passive flux sampler (PFS)

The mitigation to reduce indoor pollutant concentration are increasing ventilation rate or to reduce the emission of the pollutant which is also common in VOCs. Households, furnitures, building materials and so are well known as the source of indoor VOCs. There are several devices to measure emission of VOCs, such as an emission chamber or FLEC, which are adopted in ISO 16000. However these 2 methods has each disadvantages e.g. the chamber is suitable only in a fixed condition such as a laboratory, or the necessity of a pump and humidifer.

Simulation tool for indoor air quality improvement in a covered swimming pool.

The use of hypochlorite for water disinfection is source of chloramines production, which are transferred to the atmosphere.Nitrogen trichloride (NCl3) is the main component, which is a major cause of respiratory and ocular problems for swimmers and lifeguards. This first part comprised a sampling campaign concerning the measurement of NCl3 in a swimming pool (Picardie-France) during 15 days (October 2001). This campaign concerned the air quality diagnostics and showed that the majority of detected levels were critical (P50 = 0,44 mg/m 3 ).

Ventilation efficiency under various heating and air-exhausting conditions : an experimental study.

This work, along with the experimental measurements on which it is based, was carried out in the framework of research undertaken by the French “Groupe de Pilotage sur la Qualité des Ambiances” (GPQA), whose task was to initiate and co-ordinate work on ai

Thermo-hydraulic measurements in urban environment

Measurements of wind speed and wind direction, air temperature inside and outside an urbancanyon also infrared radiation in buildings have been measured on summer 2001 in Athens, in fivedifferent urban canyons, in the frame of Urbvent project. Urban canyons with different geometricalcharacteristics and orientation were placed in five different neighborhoods in Athens.Measurements took place in four different height levels inside each canyon, in the facades ofthem, also in the top of each canyon.

Thermal comfort in low-cost dwellings : a case study in Curitiba, Brazil

The main goal of the present study was to determine thermal comfort parameters for dwellers of low-cost houses for a given set of indoor environmental conditions. 112 people living in over 60 dwellings were interviewed, according to a comfort questionnaire where information regarding age, sex, clothing, level of activity, thermal sensation and preference of the subjects was collected. Environmental factors such as air temperature and humidity were simultaneously registered with T/RH data-loggers. Results were then analyzed by comparing subjective and environmental factors.

The effect street dimensions and traffic density on the noise level at different heights in urban canyons.

Noise measurements were made at 10 locations in ‘canyon’ streets in Athens with aspect ratio (height/width) varying from 3:1 to 1:1. The main purpose of the measurements was to examine the vertical variation in noise in the canyons to indicate the natural

The Athens air traffic control tower - A case of a sick building

It is well understood that there are many sick professional buildings in use all over the world. Most of them are sited in or near the center of large cities where the ambient atmospheric conditions are not good. The sickness syndrome of those buildings combines both the indoor air quality and the local comfort regime. In many cases the responsibility for the formation of these syndromes lies with the not appropriate envelope design and the misuse of the building by the inhabitants.

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