Epidemiological studies suggest that cooking with gas leads to an increase of air pollutants and may enhance symptoms of respiratory diseases. However, little experimental data are available concerning the emission of pollutants due to different cooking processes. The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of cooking under standardized conditions on the indoor air quality. A model kitchen was built and three different gas stoves and one electric stove were included in the study. Two different menus were prepared with different settings of the ventilation rate of the exhaust.

This paper summarizes baseline results from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) school demonstration studies. Indoor pollutants of concern were formaldehyde, sum of targeted volatile organic compounds o:VOC), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5), particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10), and bioaerosols (bacteria, fungi, and thermophiles). The five schools presented here had no significant indoor air quality problems. Locations of these schools were distributed throughout various climate zones in the United States.

Measurement campaign was conducted in a controlled office environment during January 1999 to get indoor/outdoor ratio for particles less than 0.5 micrometers in diameter. Aerosol concentrations for diameters between 7-500 nanometers were measured simultaneously indoors and outdoors with two DMPS systems. Other continuously measured quantities included temperature, ventilation rate, relative humidity, air pressure and four inorganic gases (S02, NO, NOx and 03). The measured room was practically airtight and had a mechanical ventilation system.

The provision of a healthy and satisfactorily clean indoor environment requires that consideration be given to a range of issues, such as the type of indoor environment, indoor and outdoor sources, indoor activity and others. The selection of relevant measures to achieve the required indoor air quality (IAQ) depends on knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms and parameters affecting the concentration levels indoors.

The design of mixed-mode ventilation and comfort cooling systems have taken another step forward with the construction of the Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge - the new home for the mathematical genius Stephen Hawking. But how energy efficient are the buildings likely to be?