Ventilation for Residential Buildings: Critical Assessment of Standard Requirements in the COVID-19 Pandemic Context

Abstract

After the arrival of a new airborne virus to the world, science is aiming to develop solutions to withstand the spread and contagion of SARS-CoV-2. The most severe among the adopted measures is to remain in home isolation for a significant number of hours per day, to avoid the spreading of the infection in an uncontrolled way through public spaces. Recent literature showed that the primary route of transmission is via aerosols, especially produced in poorly ventilated inner spaces. Spain has reached very high levels concerning contagion rates, accumulated incidence, or number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19. Therefore, this article aims to develop a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the requirements established in Spain, with respect to the European framework in reference to ventilation parameters indoors. The different parameters that serve as calculation for the ventilation flow in homes are analyzed to this aim. Results show that the criteria established in the applicable regulations are insufficient to ensure health and avoid contagion by aerosols indoors.

Air Quality of Private Interiors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Dormitory Interiors as Shared Spaces

“…Also, as the survey results showed, 72% of university students spend more than 8 h in their dormitory rooms. If the room is not well ventilated, meaning that there is not enough fresh air coming in and stale air going out, the concentration of CO 2 can build up over time and the risk of COVID-19 spreading can increase [13,37]. In addition to the people who are infected, the materials in the dormitory rooms can also spread infection.…”

“…As Bazant and Brush [12] and many other authorities highlighted, for the COVID-19 virus, the dominant mode of infection is by airborne transmission. Thus, the importance of ventilation and its effect on physical comfort and health in interiors have been rediscovered with the current pandemic [13][14][15][16]. According to the systematic review that Fadaei [16] conducted, the role of ventilation in mitigating COVID-19 spread in indoor air environments showed that parameters such as "ambient wind, air recirculation and rate of ventilation, aerosols, relative humidity, and temperature" were commonly studied.…”

Evaluating airflow dynamics in common vertical circulation spaces of a multi-floor apartment building for mitigating airborne infection risks: A CFD modeling study

“…One of the primary considerations in ventilation design is the establishment of adequate air exchange rates [ 35 ]. The WHO recommends a minimum natural ventilation rate of 60 L per second per person, coupled with at least six air changes per hour (ACH) to minimize the risk of airborne virus transmission [ 36 , 37 ].…”

Legal regulation of ventilation rates in homes in Europe 2010–2022: Evolution and comparison study regarding Covid-19 recommendations

“…Recently, the regulations on ventilation and its adaptation to the demands of Covid have been studied in some specific countries [ 24 , 25 ]. It is true that at the beginning of the pandemic, the WHO itself was slow to recognize airborne transmission, via aerosols [ 26 ].…”

“…In addition, except for specific cases of specific countries [ 24 , 25 ], no studies have been detected in this area on the level of need for a modification of said regulation based on the recommendations made by competent international organizations, especially to avoid the high mortality rates that led to the application of legislation never used to date [ 30 ].…”