The building industry has always had considerable difficulty with joints in outer walls, at windows, doors and between building units. Damage caused by damp has meant considerable economic losses. New building methods and materials and stronger requirements in the indoor climate have accentuated the problem. Discusses use of fibreglass strips as a sealing agent. These can accommodate large movements in the joints, but the hermetic sealing properties are insufficient if there is a heavy damp load on the joint. Glass combined with plastic sheet can increase the hermetic sealing.
Reviews hazards from excess carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in poorly ventilated spaces. Discusses ventilation rates needed to keep concentrations below safe levels. Reviews toxicity studies of portable fuel-fired appliances and gives simple guidelines for the use of such equipment.
Reports recent studies showing that seasonal efficiency of oil-fired residential heating systems is in the range 55-75% compared with steady-state efficiency of 80% or more. Finds this is due to effect of off-period draughts and of excess combustion air and draught control air on the infiltration loss for the structure. Discusses ways of improving efficiency. Finds sealed combustion systems may offer operating cost savings.
Describes series of wind tunnel investigations leading to development of a procedure for estimating wind pressure forces on low-rise building which is part of a large group of similar buildings. Procedure takes account of geometrical form of building, spacing of buildings, direction of wind and upstream fetch conditions. Gives estimated value as pressure coefficient which may be determined graphically.
Describes method of measuring air flow in mines using nitrous oxide as a tracer gas. Examines two methods of measuring airflow, releasing a continuous stream of a gas and releasing a known quantity of gas. Describes laboratory study andunderground tests of method. Concludes that technique is reliable and accurate.
Reports findings of a working group on health aspects related to indoor air quality. Identifies main air pollutants generated both outdoors and indoors. Considers adverse health effects of indoor pollutants. Concludes that ventilation rate is the important factor in the health concerns discussed. Finds a lack of valid health data on the indoor climate. Recommends further studies.
Chipboard is a common building construction material which continuously emanates formaldehyde. Reports measurements of concentrations of formaldehyde in 24 rooms in 23 Danish dwellings where chipboard was used for walls, floors and ceilings. Gives results in table 1 of concentrations underdifferent combinations of temperature, humidity and ventilation rate. Finds average concentration of 0.62 mg/m3 and in some rooms concentration exceeded the German threshold limit for occupational exposure. Develops mathematical model for the room air concentration of formaldehyde.
Briefly outlines the causes of natural ventilation which are wind and stack effect. Gives calculation of ventilation rates for a simple building. Discusses the effect of a more complex building plan.
Describes the research being undertaken by the British Gas Corporation on adventitious ventilation. Outlines a test house programme which has quantified adventitious areas for both room components and progressively sealed rooms in dwellings of varying age and construction. Describes a model scale approach to natural ventilation aimed at predicting room air movements and ventilation rates. This work is compared with full-scale results and theoretical models.
Gives formula for calculating air-change-rate from decay rate of a tracer gas. Discusses different tracer gases and detecting instruments. Describes portable meter used to measure the concentration of helium. Discusses its performance and describes the experimental procedure.
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