Reducing burden of disease from residential indoor air exposures in Europe (HEALTHVENT project)

Abstract

BackgroundThe annual burden of disease caused indoor air pollution, including polluted outdoor air used to ventilate indoor spaces, is estimated to correspond to a loss of over 2 million healthy life years in the European Union (EU). Based on measurements of the European Environment Agency (EEA), approximately 90 % of EU citizens live in areas where the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for air quality of particulate matter sized < 2.5 mm (PM2.5) are not met. Since sources of pollution reside in both indoor and outdoor air, selecting the most appropriate ventilation strategy is not a simple and straightforward task.MethodsA framework for developing European health-based ventilation guidelines was created in 2010–2013 in the EU-funded HEALTHVENT project. As a part of the project, the potential efficiency of control policies to health effects caused by residential indoor exposures of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), outdoor bioaerosols, volatile organic compounds (VOC), carbon oxide (CO) radon and dampness was estimated. The analysis was based on scenario comparison, using an outdoor-indoor mass-balance model and varying the ventilation rates. Health effects were estimated with burden of diseases (BoD) calculations taking into account asthma, cardiovascular (CV) diseases, acute toxication, respiratory infections, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).ResultsThe quantitative comparison of three main policy approaches, (i) optimising ventilation rates only; (ii) filtration of outdoor air; and (iii) indoor source control, showed that all three approaches are able to provide substantial reductions in the health risks, varying from approximately 20 % to 44 %, corresponding to 400 000 and 900 000 saved healthy life years in EU-26. PM2.5 caused majority of the health effects in all included countries, but the importance of the other pollutants varied by country.ConclusionsThe present modelling shows, that combination of controlling the indoor air sources and selecting appropriate ventilation rate was the most effective to reduce health risks. If indoor sources cannot be removed or their emissions cannot be limited to an accepted level, ventilation needs to be increased to remove remaining pollutants. In these cases filtration of outdoor air may be needed to prevent increase of health risks.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12940-016-0101-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cardiovascular effects of air pollution

“…In Asia, cooking and heating with solid fuels are the main sources of indoor air pollution, whereas in Europe, several sources contribute to indoor pollution, such as volatile organic compounds from organic solvents, household products and PM from cooking and wood burning. Nevertheless, a recent European study demonstrated that 60% of the global burden of indoor air pollution-related disease comes from outdoor PM 2.5 penetrating inside via air exchange [4]. Consequently, decreasing the burden of disease from indoor air pollution requires measures that affect indoor air pollution sources, ventilation and filtration of outdoor air [4].…”

“…Nevertheless, a recent European study demonstrated that 60% of the global burden of indoor air pollution-related disease comes from outdoor PM 2.5 penetrating inside via air exchange [4]. Consequently, decreasing the burden of disease from indoor air pollution requires measures that affect indoor air pollution sources, ventilation and filtration of outdoor air [4]. …”

Indoor gaseous air pollutants determinants in office buildings—The OFFICAIR project

“…Indoor exposures have been estimated to cause a substantial loss of health in Europe, representing ca. 2 million healthy life years . The burden is dominated by particulate matter in residencies, but also includes a contribution from volatile organic compounds (VOCs).…”

“…2 million healthy life years. 6 The burden is dominated by particulate matter in residencies, but also includes a contribution from volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, this burden is poorly estimated, not considering specific VOCs and their toxicity.…”

Office building deep energy retrofit: life cycle cost benefit analyses using cash flow analysis and multiple benefits on project level

“…Urge-Vorsatz et al 2016 paper reviewed monetized multiple benefits of building energy efficiency measures and confirmed that in the few studies having a comprehensive account of non-energy multiple benefits, productivity improvements score high. 4 Recent work demonstrates that breathing air in buildings is responsible for a very significant loss of life and disability even in Europe (Asikainen et al 2016). Many studies show how indoor air quality can cause several diseases such as asthma, cold, flu, allergy, and even cardiovascular diseases and cancer (Fisk 2000;Fisk 2002;Mudarri and Fisk 2007;Asikainen et al 2016).…”