The superinsulated home will require a slightly higher investment and considerably more care in construction. The benefits seems to outweigh by far the disadvantages, however. The superinsulated home will require a smaller heating system and w

Asks the question, is home energy conservation a good investment, and offers two approaches to economic analysis - 'payback' and 'life cycle costing', that can help to simplify the decision making process.

Factsheet on the solar greenhouse, including an introduction to the design differences between solar and traditional greenhouses, and sections on the attached solar greenhouse, the role of conservation, solar greenhouse additions: zoning, siting the solar greenhouse, design of the solar greenhouse, framing, building permits, foundation and structure, glazing, thermal mass, heat transfer, summertime operation and cost and performance.

Notes increasing complaints in Germany with the use of air conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems, despite them creating an indoor climate meeting the stipulations of German standard DIN 1946. The complaints are mainly of draughts, dry air, stale air and variable temperatures. Attributes most causes of complaint to the systems of air supply. Examines the drawbacks of various types of air supply system - dilution ventilation, window ventilation, displacement ventilation.

Notes reasons for reducing dust concentrations in rooms - allergic reaction to pollens and mould spores, etc., plus the fact that viruses and bacteria and some substances causing smells are often attached to dust particles. 

Reports a one-day seminar addressing 'The character and control of indoor air pollution', involving experts from both the public and private sector. Summarises the problems, the pollutants involved and some possible solutions.

Describes an investigation to show that the hourly, daily and monthly energy needs of simple buildings can be estimated using only limited available weather data for the location. The data needed are the mean daily maximum and mean daily minimum temperatures and the average clearness index for each month. Uses a residential building in Ottawa, Canada for the analysis, using a computer program ENERPASS.

Laboratories with chemical fume hoods can have HVAC systems designed for variable air volume (VAV) for the optimum in safety and cost savings. Various VAV designs are discussed with their associated advantages and disadvantages. Controls for providing VAV operation of fume hoods are outlined. A computer simulation of the energy usage for constant vs. variable volume hood operation is performed. The energy and cost savings are discussed along with a construction cost comparison of constant volume with variable volume.

Air qulaity measurements along with airflow rate measurements of air conditioning system were conducted in an office building occupied by workers with clerical activities. Contaminamts measured were CO2, SPM (suspended particulate matters) NOx and airborne bacteria. Indoor CO2 and SPM levels were found to be quite high, 1,600 ppm (CO2) and 0.25mg/ m3 (SPM), respectively, at their maximum and exceeded Japanese Standards The cause of the high concentration was found to be air leakage in the outdoor air intake duct. The air leakage rate was estimated applying mass-balance model of CO2.

The Sick Building Syndrome (SBS-syndrome) as defined by a WHO working group is discussed, and the existence of a sub syndrome is postulated, based on observations reported in the literature. This sub syndrome relates mucous membrane irritation - sensory irritation, dryness in nose and eye, which are very frequent symptoms within the Sick Building Syndrome - to the totalconcentration of volatile organic compounds (VOC) of the solvent type. This VOC syndrome may include other until now unidentified symptoms.