health

This report is concerned with the strategy and methodology for investigating four major categories of biological particles in the indoor air of private houses, non-industrial workplaces and public buildings (excluding hospitals). These particles are mites and their faeces; dander from pets and other furred animals; fungi, including moulds and yeasts; and bacteria, including actinomycetes.

These Guidelines recommend the ventilation required to obtain a desired indoor air quality in a space. The first step is to decide the air quality aimed for in the ventilated space. A certain air quality is prescribed to avoid adverse health effects while a decision is required on the level of perceived air quality aimed for in the ventilated space. Three different comfort levels are suggested. The next step is to determine the pollution load on the air caused by pollution sources in the space.

The report contains a summary discussion of human health effects linked to indoor air pollution (IAP) in homes and other non-industrial indoor environments. Rather than discussing the health effects of the main different pollutants which can be found in indoor air, the approach has been to group broad categories of adverse health effects in separate chapters, and describe the relevant indoor exposures which may give rise to these health effects.

The report summarizes information on indoor pollution by formaldehyde (HCHO) in European countries participating in the concerted action "Indoor Air Quality and Its Impact on Man" (COST project 613). Major scope of the report is to give concise information to people involved in research planning, policy making and regulatory activities and to identify a European view of the issue. The summary includes a short review of health effects of formaldehyde, of existing air quality guidelines and standards and of indoor sources of formaldehyde.

The report summarizes information on indoor pollution by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) In European countries participating in the concerted action "Indoor Air Quality and Its Impact on Man" (COST project 61 3). Major scope of the report IS to give concise information to people involved In research planning, policy making and regulatory activities and to help to identify a European view of the issue. The summary includes a short review of health effects of NO2 and of existing air quality guidelines and standards.

Considering the likelihood of contributions of various indoor air pollutants to detrimental health effects, the Community-COST Concertation Committee of the Concerted Action "Indoor Air Quality and its lmpact on Man" (COST Project 61 3) decided that indoor radon is a well studied indoor pollutant both in terms of occurring concentrations and expected adverse health effects. In July 1985 the Article 31 Euratom Treaty Group of Experts set up a Working Party to study and report on this matter.

It is only fairly recently that scientific and public concerns have focused on the probable health risk that the presence of air pollutants can cause in residential or non-industrial buildings. Several reasons have contributed to the deterioration of indoor air quality (IAQ) including some aspects of trends in the construction sector, most important of which are the design of buildings with increased air tightness for the sake of energy conservation but also the use of innovative building materials based on complex synthetic chemical substances.

The LARES Housing and Health survey conducted in representative samples of eightEuropean towns provides substantial data from 3,373 households about housingconditions and the health of 8,519 residents. We assessed the relation between residentialthermal comfort, weather-tightness, ventilation, mould or dampness and some commondiseases and symptoms. We observed that reporting bad health was significantlyassociated with temperature, weather-tightness and mould or dampness problems.Asthma was significantly linked with mould or dampness, temperature, and ventilationproblems.

The epidemiological research on indoor environments in homes and health has been reviewed.Science has mainly been about health effects like asthma/allergies and exposures such as VOCs,mould and dampness. So far there are few conclusive findings. Dampness, pets, mites, dampness,ETS, a low ventilation rate, and some phthalates are risk factors for asthma and allergies. There is alarge need of studies of other health effects, and other exposures, especially regarding new frequentlyused chemicals.

In North America, there are ~140 million homes and 4 million public buildings. More than one fifth of theenergy use in Canada is used to condition air whether from the cold in much of Canada or providecooling and heating where summers are hot and humid and winters are cold. To reduce greenhousegases and improve housing affordability, this energy use needs to be reduced. In 1981, the Federal andProvincial governments understood that science was needed to inform building codes in relation tooccupant health.