Modelling VOC Emissions from Building Materials for Healthy Building Design

Abstract

The profound qualitative changes of indoor air and the progressive increase in the absolute number of pollutants, combined with the scientific awareness of the health impacts deriving from spending more than 90% of one’s time inside confined spaces, have increased the attention onto the needs of well-being, hygiene, and the health of users. This scientific attention has produced studies and analyses useful for evidence-based insights into building performance. Among the main pollutants in the indoor environment, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) play a central role, and the use of box-models using the mass balance approach and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models are now consolidated to study their concentrations in an indoor environment. This paper presents the use of both types of modelling for the prediction of the VOC concentration in the indoor environment and the proposal of a guide value for the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)-oriented building design, specifically related to the indoor VOC concentration due to building materials. Methodologically, the topic is addressed through environmental sampling, the definition of the parameters necessary for the numerical models, the simulations with the box-model and the CFD, and the comparison between the results. They show a good correspondence between the modelling tools used, highlighting the central role of ventilation and allowing a discussion of the relationship between regulatory limits of emissivity of materials and Indoor Air Guide Values for the concentration of pollutants.

Integration of Indoor Air Quality Prediction into Healthy Building Design

“…These characteristics enable the toolbox to potentially pave a way towards novel and cost-effective IAQ control, and more holistic and quantitative healthy building design, compared to the traditional post-intervention IAQ control strategies. Additionally, in comparison with the existing IAQ prediction tools [50][51][52][53][54], the i-IAQ toolbox has covered a comprehensive air pollutant matrix to better represent IAQ and to propose suggestions for design modification. However, there are several opportunities for improvement of the i-IAQ toolbox.…”

The Analysis of Indoor Air Pollutants From Finishing Material of New Apartments at Business Bay, Dubai

“…As a large amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (CH 2 O) are emitted from a new apartment building, the indoor air quality is polluted and causes serious health issues to children and the elderly (D'Amico et al, 2021;Petersen et al, 2016;Kolarik et al, 2016). The elderly and the infirm have suffered from SBS symptoms such as fatigue, dry cough, dry or itchy skin, dizziness, headaches, vomiting, and sore throats (Maula et al, 2017;Zee et al, 2017;Yang et al, 2021).…”

Influence of phase change materials on thermal comfort, greenhouse gas emissions, and potential indoor air quality issues across different climatic regions: A critical review

“…Studies have shown that among the major sources of air pollution are buildings materials, mostly paints, plastic wall materials, wooden materials serving as potential sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), HCHO, including airborne microplastics 174,175 . Exposure to these air pollutants can cause both short‐term and long‐term cardiorespiratory health problems, including sick building syndrome to the occupants 176,177 . Evidence from the literature shows that exposure to indoor air pollutants can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including asthma and lung cancer 178,179 …”