Chapter 8 - Indoor air quality: pollutants, health effects, and regulations

Abstract

This chapter discusses the air pollutants that are found indoors, from what materials and sources they originate, their sampling and measurement, and how they affect human health by presenting case studies with an emphasis on residential buildings and schools. It also presents various indoor air quality (IAQ) guidelines, management, and technologies, as well as the impact of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on health and comfort. Furthermore, the concept of green buildings is highlighted with its features related to building design and management, IAQ guides, organizations, and practices. The need for optimized buildings ventilation, air conditioning systems design, and indoor air purification to ensure IAQ is also presented. Active versus passive control methods of IAQ are reviewed and examples of residential and schools buildings are discussed in relation to sampling guidelines and IAQ practices. In addition, the IEQ, which in addition to IAQ extends to thermal conditions, noise, and light of an interior space, is expounded in view of the design of buildings, which need to function effectively in more aspects than those emphasized in current sustainability guidelines. Although significant progress has been made in the construction industry by following sustainability regulations, the emphasis has been on energy, water, and material savings. The current chapter makes the case that health, psychological, and productivity factors are equally important when considering the design, construction, and operation of buildings and, hence, need to be incorporated in current sustainability regulations.