Evaluation of indoor air pollutants and new buildings’ solutions to reduce them: literature review and fundamentals

Abstract

During the past few decades various symptoms and illnesses have been increasingly attributed to nonindustrial indoor environments. In general, indoor exposure to noxious chemical, physical, and biological hazards occur at low levels, however, such indoors exposition are very common (Seltzer, 1994: pp. 318-326). Symptoms such as drowsiness, headache, fatigue, burning eyes and breathing difficulties are signs that could indicate a high percentage of pollutants in the indoor environment, although we often tend to attribute them to other causes. This phenomenon which causes disease is called - sick building syndrome - (SBS) and it is a growing problem (Carrie A Redlich, 1997: pp. 1013-1016). SBS has been reported with increasing frequency since the 1970s, as older, naturally ventilated buildings have been replaced by more energy efficient, “airtight” buildings. SBS was frequently associated with workplaces, where the employees work together and spend most of their time. However, in this pandemic and post-pandemic situation, the smart working, and the greater crowding of living spaces, could cause this problem to arise even in private homes. Now, in the framework of COVID, it has become even more necessary to look closely at the quality of the air in homes. Indeed we spend more and more time inside enclosed and shared places, where the air can be much more polluted than outside. At home and office, we are surrounded, and we daily breathe dangerous but invisible substances, which penetrate our body without being noticed. In order to propose the best house's construction and rebuilding solutions, this review considers the contamination sources that can cause diseases in the house's environment. The innovative approach, based on the complexity of the problem, it focuses attention about the different factors in order to reduce the indoor air pollutions. Finally, having identified the factors that play a significant role in environmental indoor house's contamination, a clear picture should emerge to draw conclusions and propose the best buildings solutions. Based on the complexity of the problem and the need for interdisciplinary research.