A review of critical residential buildings parameters and activities when investigating indoor air quality and pollutants

Abstract

Indoor air in residential dwellings can contain a variety of chemicals, sometimes present at concentrations or in combinations which can have a negative impact on human health. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) surveys are often required to characterize human exposure or to investigate IAQ concerns and complaints. Such surveys should include sufficient contextual information to elucidate sources, pathways, and the magnitude of exposures. The aim of this review was to investigate and describe the parameters that affect IAQ in residential dwellings: building location, layout, and ventilation, finishing materials, occupant activities, and occupant demography. About 180 peer‐reviewed articles, published from 01/2013 to 09/2021 (plus some important earlier publications), were reviewed. The importance of the building parameters largely depends on the study objectives and whether the focus is on a specific pollutant or to assess health risk. When considering classical pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the building parameters can have a significant impact on IAQ, and detailed information of these parameters needs to be reported in each study. Research gaps and suggestions for the future studies together with recommendation of where measurements should be done are also provided.

Association Between Home Renovation and Sleeping Problems Among Children Aged 6–18 Years: A Nationwide Survey in China

“…63 Furthermore, when compared to natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation has demonstrated superior capability in reducing concentrations of specific VOCs. 64 The role of home renovation should not be ignored in the diagnosis of sleeping problems. Caregivers of children who have recently been exposed to home renovations should be alert to the possibility of subsequent sleeping problems.…”

Culturable airborne fungi communities in naturally ventilated indoor spaces of old residential buildings in Poland

“…2 Building ventilation, both natural and mechanical, is the primary method of air exchange in indoor space with outside air and an important modifier of human exposure to particles, chemicals, and microbes. 2 Well-working ventilation is extremely important not only in the industries that use clean production, 3 but in public or residential buildings (schools, hospitals, apartments). [4][5][6][7] Microbial contamination of an indoor spaces includes hundreds of species of bacteria and fungi that thrive indoors when sufficient humidity is available.…”

“…1 Indoor air quality problems are recognized as important risk factors for human health in socially and economically underdeveloped as well as advanced countries. 2 Building ventilation, both natural and mechanical, is the primary method of air exchange in indoor space with outside air and an important modifier of human exposure to particles, chemicals, and microbes. 2 Well-working ventilation is extremely important not only in the industries that use clean production, 3 but in public or residential buildings (schools, hospitals, apartments).…”

SchoolAIR: A Citizen Science IoT Framework Using Low-Cost Sensing for Indoor Air Quality Management

“…Frequently dependent on the initiative of users to open windows or doors, effective natural ventilation requires these users to be aware of IAQ constraints and to have the necessary knowledge to act accordingly in different scenarios of indoor and outdoor conditions [ 10 , 11 ].…”