Indoor air quality in 12 schools: a case study.
Authors
Cousins-DM; Collett-CW
Source
The Human Equation: Health and Comfort. Proceedings of the ASHRAE/SOEH Conference, IAQ 89, April 17-20, 1989, San Diego, California, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia 1989:104-108
Abstract
An investigation of indoor air quality was carried out in 12 schools in Alberta to evaluate the relationship between age of construction, type of heating and ventilation system, occupant health and comfort, and levels of specific indoor pollutants. The 12 schools were divided into three types: old, constructed prior to 1960 with no modifications to the original heating and ventilating systems; renovated, constructed prior to 1960 with heating and ventilation systems upgraded to current building codes; and new, constructed since the early 1970s and representing a modern and tighter approach to building technology. The results indicated that occupants of schools experience similar indoor environmental problems to office workers. A higher prevalence of health and comfort problems was reported by occupants of new schools when compared to old and renovated schools. However, the measurements revealed few differences between the indoor air quality in the three types of schools. Ventilation related problems have been linked to the high rate of complaints such as a lack of air movement and stuffiness, which may also be linked to health symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and sleepiness.
Keywords
NIOSH-Contract; Closed-building-syndrome; Air-quality-control; Ventilation-systems; Air-quality-monitoring; Work-environment
Document Type
Conference/Symposia Proceedings
Funding Type
Purchase Order
Identifying No.
Task-Order-937393
Source Name
The Human Equation: Health and Comfort. Proceedings of the ASHRAE/SOEH Conference, IAQ 89, April 17-20, 1989, San Diego, California, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia
