English

In order to adapt ventilation losses to the actual use of the premises one must aim to control the energy loads due to air renewal while at the same time ensuring the maintenance of good indoor air quality for comfort and hygiene for the occupants. The principle applications are premises presenting wide variations in occupation: number of occupants, but also effective hours of use. These systems are effective and economic, but they must be designed and installed correctly.

Adsorbant filters are used to reduce odours and gas concentrations in air. They are also used in industry as well as in the commercial environment to treat ventilation air in buildings and motor vehicle conditioning systems. The article discusses methods to determine their performance.

Discusses this rarely examined aspect of indoor air quality. Specifically describes a study carried out on an unoccupied apartment on a road with heavy traffic, on the third floor of a block dating from 1955. The aim was to evaluate the transfer of pollution between outside and inside. Parameters considered were ventilation status, season, outdoor pollution levels, and the presence of adsorbing materials.

States that various gas techniques seem to be technically and economically of interest to ensure the heating of swimming pools: condensation heaters, the production of instant ECS, low temperature heated flooring, etc. Equally, cogeneration offers wide possibilities. The article gives an introductory note on each of these technologies.

States that air humidity in swimming pools must be closely controlled on the one hand for user comfort, and on the other for the durability of the building structure. Describes how the INSEP pool in Paris has opted for a partial thermodynamic dehumidification system. Finds that although the condensate levels were higher than recommended at time of measuring, this pool nevertheless showed satisfactory results in terms of energy consumption and costs. Also found that the heat demand of the pool compared favourably with an ordinary sports hall in relation to outdoor temperatures.

Discusses how the design of modern swimming pool leisure complexes must adapt to the diverse demands of today's users. States that the air treatment in a covered swimming pool complex depends on a fragile balance between the demands of occupant comfort and the technical imperatives for the conservation of the building structure. It is also of utmost importance to pay particular attention to precisely quantifying the thermal needs, defining the air flow and thermal means of operation, and selecting a principle for dehumidification which is well-tuned to its application.

The National Death Index was used to monitor a cohort of 72,740 persons for whom information on household air conditioning was available, between April 1980 and December 1985. 2275 deaths occurred. The study attempted to establish whether people in households with air conditioning experienced lower death rates during hot weather. Both central and room air conditioning were considered.

Gives two examples at an air force base of poor maintenance of equipment. In the first study a comprehensive base-wide steam trap maintenance program is described. In the second a measured evaluation from a typical office building is described. The aim in both was to assess the importance of proper operations and maintenance, aiming in turn to provide more efficient building HVAC operation, provide improved services to the building occupants, and reduce energy consumption and unscheduled equipment repair/replacement.

The article presents IAQ requirements for healthy office buildings in Nordic climates, based on the results of an epidemiological study of a multistorey office building in Helsinki, Finland. Summarizes the results of the study and gives recommendations and their limitations.

An evaluation of the effect of air humidification on various factors was performed, including skin dryness and mucosa, allergic and asthmatic reactions and perception of IAQ. A six period cross over trial was conducted on 290 office workers. A total of 211 workers who returned at least two weekly diaries and who had experienced both humidified and nonhumidified conditions were included in the analyses. The main outcome was characterized by dryness, irritation or itching of skin and eyes, of the throat and nasal dryness.