Sundell J, Lindvall T, Stenberg B
Year:
1994
Bibliographic info:
Environment International, Vol 20, No 2, 1994, pp 239-251, 3 figs, 6 tabs, refs.

A cross-sectional questionnaire and field study of 160 Swedish office buildings and 260-2649 respondents (with case controls and prevalence comparisons) was made to assess the possible links between ventilation types, outdoor air flow rates and symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome. The ventilation rates proved to be higher than those required by most building codes and consisted of outdoor air inflow of 17 14L/p and 2.0 1.3 air changes/h. Low outdoor air flow rates , the presence of photocopiers in office rooms and ventilation operating hours of under 10 h/d were linked with the prevalence of SBS symptoms. It was also suspected that there was a link between SBS symptoms and natural or mechanical exhaust ventilation systems, air humidification and recirculation of air at high outdoor air flow rates (but not at lower rates). There was no connection found between SBS symptoms and either the supply of air hotter than room temperature or the presence of a rotary heat exchanger.