English

Describes monitoring of an office building where sick building syndrome symptoms had been reported. Data were taken under two different ventilation rates. Outside air flow, temperature, relative humidity, odour perception, microbial burden, particulate mass, formaldehyde and other organics, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide were all measured. In no case did levels exceed current health standards for outdoor air, and none of the single contaminants was responsible for the symptoms.

States that heat stress decreases the chance of survival for the elderly and sick. Cites examples of an eightfold increase in expected mortality for persons over 85 years and threefold for those 50-54 years old. Suggests that chronic degenerative disease in the elderly, certain therapeutic drugs and lack of acclimatization are additional risk factors.

In order to determine the impact of heat waves on nursing home occupants and the efficacy of air conditioning in reducing them, a study investigated patterns of mortality in eleven air conditioned and nine un-air conditioned nursing homes in New York City. On the basis of the findings, recommends that nursing homes and other institutions for the elderly located in climates like that of New York City be required to provide air conditioning.

Describes a study which was aimed at investigating whether relations between symptoms of sick building syndrome and measured environmental factors existed within state of the art air conditioned buildings with satisfactory maintenance programmes expected to provide a healthy indoor environment. Studied five buildings, using a questionnaire followed by a detailed environmental survey.

Describes how workers at altitude are subject to hypoxia, which impairs the ability to sleep, mental performance, productivity and general well, being. Discusses the effectiveness of injecting oxygen into the air conditioning systems for these workers, which has the effect of reducing the equivalent altitude. Several studies have been made to test oxygen enrichment and have shown improvements in sleep quality and cognitive function. The fire hazard is less than in air at sea level.

Analyses the possibility of preventing disease being spread through a school ventilating system. States that the effectiveness of disinfecting recirculated air in blocking person to person transmission of airborne infection can be predicted to be great at the beginning of a potential outbreak and negligible during an established epidemic. Also states that air disinfection would supplement immunization in the control of respiratory infection and might be cost effective.

Coughing, throat irritation, shortness of breath and disorientation were experienced by employees of a communications firm, resulting in building evacuation. Describes how a multidisciplinary team analysed the source of the problem. Results suggested that the outbreak was due to multiple factors including microbial growth in the air handling system, chemical product use in the building, and insufficient outdoor air. States that psychosocial factors also played a role.

The study was undertaken to find out the effect of changing the supply of outdoor air in four office buildings on the sick building syndrome symptoms reported by workers. The ventilation systems in each building were manipulated in random order to deliver to the indoor environment 20 or 50 ft3 of outdoor air per minute per person for one week at a time. Each week the workers, who knew nothing of the scheme, were invited to report symptoms.

Forty seven residential buildings were monitored for indoor acid aerosol, nitric acid and ammonia concentrations over a summer in State College, Pennsylvania. Questionnaires were also distributed for information on occupant behaviour. The paper discusses the relationship between ammonia and concentrations of aerosol strong acidity and HNO3 in the buildings. The indoor outdoor relationship was also analysed. High indoor NH3 levels were found and low acid levels. Mass balance models that included an NH3 neutralisation term were found to predict indoor acid concentrations reasonably well.

Describes an evaluation made of employee health complaints at a credit bank. A self-administered questionnaire determined the symptoms. The authors looked at ventilation effectiveness, contaminant concentrations and microclimate in relation to employee discomfort and health problems. Relatively high levels of carbon dioxide and bioaerosols were found, although temperature and humidity were normal. The authors suggest that an ineffective rate of room air exchange may be a significant factor.