Breathe, breathe in the healthy air: influence of building design and recent biomedical research directions on indoor air quality

Author(s): Matea Podgornjak, Dorotea Markasović, Zlata Dolaček-Alduk, Terezija Berlančić, Ivan Miškulin, Maja Miškulin
Paper category: Proceedings
Book title: International Conference on Sustainable Materials, Systems and Structures (SMSS 2019) Energy Efficient Building Design and Legislation
Editor(s): Marina Bagarić, Ivana Banjad Pečur, Hartwig M. Künzel
ISBN: 978-2-35158-217-6
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-218-3
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2019
Pages: 204-212
Total Pages: 09
Language: English

Abstract: Indoor air quality (IAQ) management and the influence it has on health are complex issues requiring a multidisciplinary approach. People in industrialized nations spend about 90% of their time indoors, which makes the quality of indoor air an important contributor to health. IAQ can be up to 5 to 100 times worse than outdoor air. Building pathology is a multidisciplinary field that studies abnormalities in the structure and functioning of the building and its parts, many of which affect IAQ. Some important factors that affect IAQ are soil gas (radon), human activities (cooking, housekeeping), building components, furnishings, moisture levels and mould growth along with heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Ventilation systems need to be properly designed and maintained to prevent dust accumulation and microbial growth. The choice of building materials, coatings, equipment, and furniture is of crucial importance in the context of IAQ. Important contributors to poor IAQ are growth of toxic moulds and volatile organic compound emissions, which constitute an important problem in modern, energy efficient building design. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive review of influence of modern trends in building design and biomedical research on IAQ and outline future challenges in improving IAQ

Online publication: 2019
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00