The Sick Building Syndrome — Overview and Frontiers

Abstract

The paper presents an overview on terms such as ’problem building’, ’sick building’ and ’sick building syndrome’, and on the various unwanted effects on the health and well-being of occupants of buildings which may be caused by either the buildings themselves or by equipment and systems within these buildings. Allergies and other hypersensitivity reactions, adverse sensory effects and neurotoxic effects are identified as being particularly relevant. The factors which need to be controlled to obtain ’healthy buildings’ and the control options available are briefly discussed.