Sustainable Building Technical Manual - Etn-presco.net

CHAPTER 13Indoor Air Quality★ S I G N I F I CA N C E .With potentially hundreds of different contaminants present in indoor air, identifyingindoor air quality (IAQ) problems and developing solutions is extremely difficult. 1 Thestudy of indoor air quality is a relatively recent endeavor. Although much is knownabout the health effects of poor design and ways to overcome them through gooddesign, a tremendous amount of research is needed in this complicated field. Over thepast few years, several entities have undertaken considerable efforts to further theresearch and science in this area, including government agencies such as the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and OccupationalSafety and Health Administration (OSHA), and professional societies such as theAmerican Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The results of such activities willlead to more definitive IAQ practices, standards, and performance targets.AuthorAnthony BernheimIn the absence of such information and industry consensus, this chapter attempts toprovide guidance on general industry practices for improved IAQ. These suggested practicesshould be updated and refined by the professional as more information becomesreadily available.The quality of indoor air results from the interaction of many complex factors (Figure 1),each contributing different effects. 2 The ways in which these factors contribute to IAQmay be summarized as follows:■ Construction materials, furnishings, and equipment.These items may emit odor, particles, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), andadsorb and desorb VOCs. Individual VOCs from a specific material may combine withVOCs from other materials to form new chemicals. VOCs and particulates can causehealth problems for occupants upon inhalation or exposure. In the presence of adequateheat and moisture, some materials provide nutrients that support the growth ofmolds and bacteria, which produce microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs). 3