A cautionary tale of what happens when the entire construction and development system breaks down.

Describes the development of the Swedish duct tightness guidelines, the "AMA system". The latest version, due in 1998, aims to increase tightness requirements once again by introducing a tightness class D as the standard requirement for larger spiroduct systems. The concern about an increasing part of the Swedish population becoming allergic and asthmatic led to the Swedish Parliament introducing compulsory inspections of ventilation systems in 1990.

Traditionally, ventilation and air conditioning ducts have been manufactured with rectangular cross sections. The rectangular duct can easily be adapted, e.g. to restricted ceiling voids and plant rooms, however, often at the cost of efficient airflow design and possible cost savings. A round duct system normally performs better and offers a more economical solution, which is the reason why it always pays to study and compare the ductwork design before selecting which type is to be used for a specific application.

All internal combustion engines produce exhaust gases containing noxious compounds: carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx, carbon oxides (CxHy) and smoke. With the help of a mathematical model the concentrations of some dangerous substances at the end of the tunnel were calculated, and were replaced by a criteria! number. A corresponding computer program was also developed thus enabling quick and simple calculations of some concentrations and the criteria! number.

The terrifying organisms that live in our ventilation systems have perfected their methods of attack, but Martyn Love thinks he might have the answer