David Treharne, Senior Engineer at Domus Ventilation, looks at how improvements in the energy efficiency of dwellings has led to poor indoor air quality, and why mechanical ventilation is the way forward.
Over recent years we’ve done a good job of improving the energy efficiency of new build homes, with a focus on sealing the building envelope to prevent wasteful heat leakage. And it’s worked remarkably well; so much so, that we’ve created air tight homes that, in some circumstances, over heat and trap the stale, humid air indoors along with the pollutants. You see, what we’ve failed to do is match the improvement in energy efficiency with the provision of ventilation.
The Results of Poor Ventilation
As well as making for an uncomfortable home environment, poor ventilation can directly affect the health of residents. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has known links to allergies, asthma, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease and even dementia. Research conducted by the University of Exeter Medical School amongst social housing in Cornwall found that for every increase in SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) ratings – which is used to measure the energy efficiency of dwellings – there was a 2% increased risk of asthma.
Continue reading Unintended Consequences at SPECIFIER REVIEW.
source https://specifierreview.com/2019/03/29/mechanical-ventilation/
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